


After the Storm

by ComicKid99



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Agents of SHIELD, F/M, FitzSimmons - Freeform, Humour, Huntingird, Misfits AU, Multi, Philinda - Freeform, Romance, Skyeward - Freeform, misfits - Freeform, static quake - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2018-11-17 08:46:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 54,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11272020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ComicKid99/pseuds/ComicKid99
Summary: Misfits AU. When six young men and women are brought together to start seven weeks of community service, they find themselves impossibly drawn together when a freak storm leaves them with weird and wonderful powers. As they try to hide their abilities, they must deal with threats far too close to home.





	1. Everything Has Changed

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know, I have too many stories on the go to start a new one but this helped me through a bit of writer's block. I started watching the show Misfits a week ago, fell in love with it and felt compelled to write this. I'm hoping to mix a few storylines from the show with my own creations and capture the feel of the show with my writing. I'm hopeful it's going to be a funny, heartbreaking and frankly ridiculous ride. Hope you enjoy!

“Right then, welcome to your first day of community service.” Phil Coulson announced with a sigh as he stood outside the local community centre on a rainy Monday morning. He was annoyed that the new suit he’d bought was getting soggy and raindrops were rolling off his thinning hair and into his eyes. In front of him were three young men and three young women dressed in the orange jumpsuits they were required to wear for every day of their seven weeks of service.

“You’re all going to be working together for the next seven weeks so let’s just start with introductions. I’m Phil Coulson, your primary probation worker; I’d prefer you call me Coulson. Let’s go down the line and introduce ourselves, shall we?”

Silence.

Coulson turned to a young man at one end of the line. “Let’s start with you, if you don’t mind.”

The young man shrugged. He wasn’t short, but he wasn’t tall. He scratched at his stubble. “Can’t we get an umbrella or something? It’s pissing it down.”

“…Your name, please. Then I’ll arrange to get some umbrellas.” Coulson stated.

“…Brill. Hello all, I’m Lance Hunter. And I’m an alcoholic.” The young man grinned. Everyone glared at him in disapproval. “…Tough crowd.”

Coulson glared down at the soggy clipboard in his hands and crossed off Lance’s name, turning to the young woman stood next to him as an invitation to speak.

“Daisy Johnson.” She said, her short brown hair sticking to her cheeks from the rain. She still somehow managed to look beautiful.

“I’m Jemma Simmons.” The girl next to Daisy announced without needing a prompt. “Hello.”

“Lincoln Campbell.” The tall blonde young man next to Jemma grumbled.

Everyone turned to face the tall young woman next to Lincoln with anticipation. She’d had a presence since the second she’d arrived that morning yet hadn’t said a word.

“I’m Bobbi Morse.” She stated. “If anyone makes a Morse code joke, I will break your arm.”

Lance’s mouth opened and closed very quickly.

“…Go on, introduce yourself.” Coulson said warmly to the young man next to Bobbi at the other end of the line.

Everyone looked at the curly-haired boy with striking blue eyes. He’d not once looked up from the floor. “Leo…Leo Fitz.”

“Are you Scottish?” Lance leaned forward to face the other young man. “Brilliant. Love that accent. You’re my favourite. Or maybe you are.”

He winked at Daisy. She gave him the finger.

“Now we’ve got that out of the way, I’d like to repeat that you’ll be working together for the next seven weeks of your community service as you pay the local area back for your various crimes. So, there will be no fighting of any kind between you and you will follow any and all instructions given to you by superiors. Failure to comply could add to your time doing community service. Understood?” Coulson asked.

Everyone stood staring at him blankly.

“Good.” Coulson smiled. “You’ll be starting with some simple redecoration work. The main hall of the community centre needs its walls repainting. You’ll find everything you need inside.”

A sweet smile came over Leo’s face. Lincoln clocked it.

“What’s up with you?” He asked argumentatively.

Leo’s smile faded. “Oh, I just, I…I l-like painting.”

“Can I at least hit him and no one else?” Lincoln asked.

“You know the answer to that.” Coulson groaned. The community centre doors opened behind him and a handsome man with jet black hair and muscular physique strolled out, complete with a black velvet jacket. “Everyone, this is your secondary probation worker, Grant Ward. When I’m not around you can rely on him to be here. You are all to respect and follow any of his instructions too.”

“I’ve laid out all the paint and brushes for them; shouldn’t be any disasters.” Grant smirked and Coulson nodded.

“Excellent. Time for you all to give back.” Coulson said, enthusiastically tapping his clipboard with his hand.

The second he did, an enormous clap of thunder filled the air, followed by an almighty flash of lightning the left everyone squinting.

“Holy shit! Where did that come from?” Lance chuckled excitedly.

“It’s just the weather.” Grant rolled his eyes and turned to Coulson. “We should get them inside.”

“Agreed. Come on everyone.” Coulson said, turning to face the community centre entrance.

Another crash of thunder and flash of lighting, even louder and brighter than before.

“Bloody hell.” Leo cursed under his breath as everyone looked up at the sky.

“This wasn’t forecast was it?” Daisy asked in confusion.

“It was supposed to be sunny skies, I’ll admit.” Coulson said. “The rain was a nasty enough surprise when I woke up this morning.”

“It’s getting heavier, too.” Bobbi noted, then froze. “What the…holy shit.”

“What?” Lincoln asked.

“Look at the rain!” Bobbi stated. Everyone looked around in confusion.

“What about it?” Jemma asked.

“It’s going up!” Bobbi yelled. “Look, the rain is going up!”

Everyone squinted. To their surprise, Bobbi was right. The rain was soaring upwards towards the clouds.

“How is that possible?” Lance wondered.

“It’s not.” Leo and Jemma said together.

“Let’s just…let’s get inside.” Coulson said nervously as the thunder and lightning flashed again, once again with even more intensity that before.

“There’s something else coming down with the rain.” Jemma noted, pointing upwards.

Everyone looked in bewilderment as almost out of nowhere, big chunks of ice fell from the sky and slammed onto the concrete surrounding them.

“Holy fuck!” Lance cried as Jemma screamed and everyone panicked.

“Inside NOW!” Grant exclaimed.

Everyone ran for the entrance of the building. They were mere inches away from the door when a bolt of lightning crashed in front of the group and threw them backwards and onto the floor with huge force.

Silence for a moment.

Lincoln was the first to regain consciousness. He grumbled as he got to his feet and rubbed his head. He’d been the closest to the door and could’ve sworn he’d managed to touch the handle just as the lightning hit. He turned around and saw the rest of the group still lying on the floor, drenched from head to toe and some with small shards of ice littered over them.

He looked up and was greeted by a crystal clear blue sky. If he couldn’t see the chaos in front of him he would’ve sworn there hadn’t even been a storm and he’d dreamt the whole thing.

“Fuck.” Lance groaned as he came to and sat up, looking at Lincoln. “Was your hair always that pointy or was that the lightning?”

Lincoln took out his phone and looked at his reflection. “That’s how my hair always is.”

“Oh….uh, looks great.” Lance said and got to his feet just as Daisy, Leo and Coulson came to and stood up.

“Is everyone alright?” Coulson asked nervously as everyone awake nodded at him. He hurried over to Bobbi just as she woke up before helping her up and checking on Grant. After another minute or so, Grant finally came to and sat up, rubbing his head ferociously and pushing Coulson away as he stood.

“You okay there Top Gun?” Lance asked him with a smirk.

“Wanker.” Grant whispered with unexpected fury.

Lance looked outraged. “Did he just call me a wanker?”

“Is everyone alright? For sure?” Coulson asked again, and everyone nodded. “Good, okay, um…let’s just…let’s just head inside and get to work, alright?”

“What the fuck was that?” Daisy asked.

“We’ll just have to wait and see what they say about it on the news.” Coulson said.

“Grandpa’s right.” Lance chuckled.

“I will not tolerate disrespect.” Coulson warned, pointing at Lance.

“Let’s just go inside already, I’m sick of it out here.” Lincoln said and reached for the door handle. As he touched it, a spark flew out of his finger and shocked him. “Shit!”

“That’s a fairly common occurrence, I wouldn’t worry.” Jemma noted.

“Did I ask you?” Lincoln argued. Jemma shrunk back.

“Just open the door.” Grant growled. Lincoln obeyed, unable to hold Grant’s gaze for too long. There seemed to be something in his eyes that wasn’t there before.

…

“That wasn’t weird though, weren’t it?” Daisy said as she got to work painting the walls of the main hall. The aged white paint had peeled off, leaving the group with the task of painting over it with a fresh baby blue.

“Can we let this go now? It was a bloody storm.” Lance groaned.

“A storm that knocked us all out. I think that’s worth talking about.” Jemma noted.

“Or we could just not talk at all? I’d like that.” Lincoln added, smirking at Leo, who was painting on his own away from the rest of the group. “Like Braveheart over there. He’s my favourite; too shy to say a fucking word to anyone.”

Leo briefly looked over then refocused on his painting.

“He’s got a point; you don’t seem like the kind of guy who’d get community service.” Lance said, turning to Jemma. “Same goes for you.”

“It’s a long story.” Jemma sighed. “And one I’m not going to tell.”

“What about you, William Wallace?” Lincoln asked Leo. “Care to share your story? No offence, but you do come across as a bit of a weirdo. I bet it was something like sneaking into a girl’s room and recording them as they slept.”

“I…I’m not a weirdo.” Leo mumbled quietly.

“That’s exactly what a weirdo would say.” Lincoln shrugged. “At least tell me the weird film you took was with a decent quality camera.”

“I didn’t film anyone while they were sleeping. I…I’m not a f-freak.” Leo said shyly.

“I disagree.” Lincoln smiled.

“Just let him get on with it.” Bobbi said.

“Ooh, Betty’s in love.” Lance laughed.

“Firstly, my name is Bobbi. Secondly, no I’m not. I didn’t realise you were an eleven year old.” Bobbi snapped at Lance. Daisy couldn’t hold back a chuckle.

“Maybe my mind, but I can assure you my body is _very_ well developed.” Lance winked.

“If anyone empties their can of paint, send it my way so I can throw up in it.” Bobbi said.

“So what _did_ everyone do to get community service? Who’s brave enough to share?” Daisy posed.

“Robbed a bank.” Lance grinned.

“Funny.” Daisy groaned.

“I got into a fight in a bar. Punched a few guys, smashed a few glasses.” Lincoln revealed.

“Did you have to pay damages?” Jemma wondered.

“Nah, the guy who owns the bar went to school with my dad. Community service was enough for him. I only thought it’d be a week or two though. Seven weeks is taking the piss.” Lincoln explained.

“It allows plenty of time for rehabilitation.” Coulson announced as he entered the room and inspected the walls. “Looking good so far, everyone. Just checked the news; everyone’s baffled by the storm. They have no idea where it came from or why.”

“Because the weather here is always shit, that’s why.” Lance noted.

“I’d appreciate everyone toning down their language.” Coulson said.

There was a loud bang as Grant’s cursing echoed through the building. He stormed into the room with remnants of a wooden chair in his hands. “Bloody thing broke when I sat on it.”

“No worries. We have plenty here.” Coulson said.

“Look at all those pieces, though. Did you snap it on purpose?” Lance asked.

“Did I say you could speak?” Grant asked angrily.

“No, the Human Rights Act did.”

“Little prick.” Grant whispered and headed out to dispose of the broken chair.

“Anyway, I’ll leave you all to it. Finish off all the walls and then you can have half an hour for lunch. Or if you ever need a quick snack use any of the vending machines dotted about. But don’t use them as an excuse to slack off.” Coulson said and headed out.

“Now there’s an idea.” Lance grinned, dropping his paintbrush and heading over to the vending machine in the corner of the room. “Anyone got any change?”

Everyone shook their heads.

“No problem.” Lance said, grabbing the machine with both hands and furiously shaking it until a chocolate bar fell out. Victoriously, he picked it up and wandered smugly back over to the group. “Winning!”

Everyone worked in silence for a few minutes while Lance ate the chocolate bar. The second he was finished and dropped the wrapper on the floor he spoke up again. “So…three girls and three guys. Hasn’t this worked out well?”

“Not for the girl stuck with the freak over there.” Lincoln smirked as he looked at Leo, who lowered his head and carried on painting.

“I’d sooner bang Coulson than either of you assholes.” Bobbi smirked.

“I second that.” Daisy laughed. “Though I wouldn’t mind getting my claws into that Ward guy.”

“He broke that chair on purpose, I’m telling you.” Lance stated. “Bloody nutcase.”

“Someone’s jealous.” Bobbi said.

“Yeah, you are. Because you haven’t gotten a glimpse of me without this jumpsuit on.” Lance smirked, glaring seductively at Bobbi.

She rolled her eyes at him as he smiled and turned away, but she heard him speak again.

_I bet she likes it rough._

“Fuck off!” Bobbi shouted, throwing her paintbrush at Lance. It smacked him on the cheek, leaving baby blue paint over his face.

“What the fuck did you do that for?” Lance asked in shock. Everyone was staring at Bobbi in confusion.

“Because you don’t have any respect, clearly! You don’t know the first thing about me and you just assume I like it rough, huh? Prick.” Bobbi spat.

“When did he say that?” Lincoln asked.

“Just then! How did you miss that?” Bobbi asked. Lance had gone white as a sheet.

“He didn’t say that.” Daisy said.

“Yes, he did! I heard him say it!” Bobbi shouted.

“I didn’t hear it.” Jemma added.

“Open your ears, then! You heard him, right?” Bobbi asked Leo.

“Oh, I…I don’t…I’d rather not get involved.” Leo shied away.

“Great. Thanks.” Bobbi groaned, looking back at Lance. “You’re a dick.”

Lance stared at her. _How the fuck did she know I was thinking that?_

Bobbi froze. It was Lance’s voice, just like it was before, but she’d seen his face that time. His mouth hadn’t moved.

Coulson hurried in. “Is there a problem? I heard shouting.”

Everyone looked at Bobbi.

“…No. All good.” She lied.

“…Okay.” Coulson nodded, smiled and headed out. _Bloody kids._

“Excuse me?” Bobbi asked.

Coulson stopped and turned back in shock. “W-What?”

Bobbi froze again. She’d heard Coulson’s voice say that. She HAD. “…Nothing.”

Coulson said nothing as he turned and made his way out again.

“Are you okay?” Jemma asked.

Bobbi’s head was all over the place; she could hardly breathe. “I need some air.”

…

Bobbi burst out of the front doors of the community centre and looked out at the bank of water in front of her. The community centre was right on the edge of the city looking out over the dock. The sun was beaming down; any trace of the storm that morning had vanished into thin air.

Bobbi walked out to the metal fence stopping her from falling off the ledge and into the water and looked down, closing her eyes and trying to clear her head. What the hell was going on with her? Why had she heard Lance and Coulson’s voices in her head, and so clearly? She could’ve sworn they’d said those things.

She always went for a run when she needed to calm her thoughts, so she set off on a light jog around the community centre. She stopped dead the second she turned the corner.

The benches had been torn to pieces, parts of the walls had caved in as if they’d been punched and branches had been ripped off of some of the trees planted nearby. It looked like a bombsite. And Grant Ward was stood in the centre of it.

He spotted her quickly. “…The storm did more damage than we thought.”

“…Oh.” Bobbi said, noting one of Grant’s fists was bleeding onto the pavement.

“Nothing to worry about.” Grant stated. “Go back inside and back to work. I’ll clean this up.”

Bobbi heard Grant’s voice. _She’ll leave if she knows what’s good for her._

Her eyes widened. She turned away and ran back inside. She wasn’t imagining any of this. It was happening. It was real.

…

“Everything okay?” Jemma asked as Bobbi walked back in. Most of the room had now been painted.

“Yeah. Just felt a bit off. I’m fine now.” Bobbi said, glancing briefly at Lance before returning to her painting. “I, uh…I think you’re right about that Grant Ward guy. I just saw him outside. He looked…I dunno. He’s not all there.”

“Told you.” Lance grinned. Daisy rolled her eyes.

Bobbi knew she couldn’t tell them everything about Grant and the voices; they’d never believe her. What the hell was happening?

“You sure you’re okay? You look a bit shaken up.” Jemma asked.

“I’m fine, alright!” Bobbi snapped.

Jemma took a step back. “…Okay.”

 _Sorry for caring._ Jemma’s voice echoed inside Bobbi’s head, just like it had with the others.

“…Is, uh…is everyone else okay? Not feeling…weird?” Bobbi wondered nervously.

Everyone nodded. Lincoln smirked and pointed at Leo. “He’s used to it by now.”

“I’m not…I’m not weird.” Leo said timidly.

“Sure.” Lincoln grinned.

Bobbi watched as everyone got back to work and finished painting the walls. Coulson inspected them when they were done and let them go for lunch. They retreated to the locker room where they’d kept their belongings and sat mostly in silence as they ate the food they’d brought. Bobbi didn’t dare bring up the strange goings on again.

…

The second Lincoln’s parents went out shopping that evening, he called Rebecca and told her the house was empty. She only lived around the block, so it didn’t take her long to get there.

“How was community service?” She asked as Lincoln let her in and they headed into his bedroom.

“…Weird. Pretty sure I hate most of the people there. Seven weeks is going to drag.” Lincoln groaned.

“Did you see that storm earlier, too? Crazy.” Rebecca said.

“Yeah, I got caught in it. So fucking weird. Honestly, I’m sick of hearing about it.” Lincoln admitted.

“Well then.” Rebecca bit her lip and walked up to Lincoln as he closed the door. “Let’s stop talking.”

She gripped the bottom of his shirt and pulled it over his head, running her hands over his ripped body. She unzipped his jeans and let them fall to the floor as he unzipped the back of the dress and threw it across the room. He took her up in his arms and let them both fall onto his bed, kissing her neck as she wrapped her legs around his waist and ran her hands up and down his back, feeling the movement of his muscles.

She moaned with pleasure and reached for his boxers, pulling them down his legs until Lincoln kicked them off. He pulled her up and onto him, leaving her sat on his naked crotch as he tore off her bra and discarded it, kissing all down her chest.

“Ow!” Rebecca yelped, jumping back.

“What?” Lincoln asked.

“…Sorry, I…electric shock.” Rebecca said, shaking it off and climbing back onto Lincoln, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. The kiss deepened and grew more intense as the two fell back onto the bed. Rebecca gripped Lincoln’s hair as she let his tongue explore her mouth.

The lights flickered, making Rebecca jump and sit up again. “What was that? The lights just went weird.”

“It’s nothing.” Lincoln whispered seductively before kissing her again.

“Ow!” They both cried this time, jumping away from each other as they both felt the electric shot.

“What the fuck is going on?” Rebecca wondered.

“It’s probably just, you know, an after effect of that storm. Come here.” Lincoln smiled. Rebecca giggled as Lincoln rolled on top of her and resumed kissing her neck. She closed her eyes and groaned, now unable to see the lights starting to flicker again.

“ _Lincoln_ …” She whispered with desire.

He slipped off her underwear as they got under the covers and he began to thrust.

“Oh, Lincoln! Yes! YES! Oh!”

They’d found the perfect rhythm. Their moans of pleasure filled the room as Rebecca gripped onto the mattress. The laptop on Lincoln’s desk began to spark along with the lights.

“Oh, Lincoln…”

“Becks…”

The streetlamps outside flickered. Car alarms started going off. Sparks of electricity flew all over the nearby streets.

“Yes, Lincoln, oh, oh, yes, YES…YES!”

A huge crash as all the lights in the nearby houses blew out. Streetlamps exploded, cars set alight, alarms went off everything.

“WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!” Rebecca exclaimed in panic as she rushed out of Lincoln’s bed, tripping over in the darkness as she reached for her clothes and inelegantly put them back on. “This is too fucking weird!”

“Becks, wait!” Lincoln cried, getting out of bed after her and finding his boxers. He slid them on and went to rush to find her; he walked by his laptop and it exploded into sparks, sending Lincoln flying across the room and into a wall.

After a few minutes, he got back up to his feet and rushed to his bedroom window, witnessing the chaos outside for the first time. “What the fuck?”

He looked at his laptop. The way it exploded like that reminded him of something.

The storm.

He ran a hand through his hair and jumped back in pain the second he touched his scalp. Looking at his hand, he could see small blue bolts of electricity flickering around the gaps between his fingers.

He carefully made his way around his room and found his phone, using the light from it to get a better look at his hand. The blue bolts of electricity were running through his fingers and up to his forearm.

Without thinking, he took a picture of it and stared at it in disbelief.

_What’s happening to me?_

…

The next morning, everyone stood in the locker room putting on their jumpsuits in silence. Leo was making an effort to avoid looking at the girls getting changed. Lance was not.

Lincoln burst into the room. “That storm has fucked me up.”

“Excuse me?” Lance asked, already amused.

“Anyone else have a major power cut yesterday?” Lincoln asked.

“…I, I did.” Leo piped up shyly.

“It was me.” Lincoln admitted.

“What was you?” Daisy asked.

“The power cut. I did it. The storm, it…I don’t know how to explain it…I…I think it gave me some kind of power. Electrical power. You know?” Lincoln said timidly.

Silence.

“…Are you high?” Lance chuckled.

“I’m not making it up! Look!” Lincoln exclaimed, getting out his phone and showing everyone the picture of his hand. “I don’t know how it works or how I control it. I can’t seem to get it to work today but look at that! That’s not normal, right?”

“…What the hell?” Jemma wondered as she looked at the photo. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“It was the storm, I’m telling you. It zapped me and now I can do crazy things with electricity and electrical devices. I’ve…I’ve got powers.” Lincoln said in disbelief.

“You’re having me on. That’s Photoshop, right?” Lance laughed.

“Why would I lie about something like this? We all felt it when we got hit, right? This buzz going through us. It changed me!” Lincoln shouted.

“What were you doing when it all kicked off?” Bobbi asked curiously.

“…I’d rather not say.” Lincoln said quietly.

“Shameful.” Lance grinned, shaking his head.

“You’ve got to believe me! I’m not making it up, I swear. I…it’s freaking me out.” Lincoln admitted.

Silence.

“…Okay, good joke but that’s enough now.” Lance said.

“It’s not a joke.” Lincoln stated adamantly.

“He’s right.” Bobbi said quickly. Everyone looked at her. “I…the storm changed me too. I’ve got powers.”

“Come on.” Lance shook his head.

“What?” Lincoln asked. “What is it?”

“…I can hear people’s thoughts. Not all the time, I don’t know how it works, but I can. That’s what yesterday was all about. I heard your thoughts but at first I thought you were actually talking!” Bobbi explained.

“Holy shit.” Lincoln’s eyes widened.

“Bullshit.” Lance stated. “You think some admittedly freakish storm gave you two powers but not the rest of us?”

“Maybe…maybe we just don’t know what we can do yet.” Leo stuttered. “…We might have super powers.”

“What the fuck did I put in my tea this morning?” Lance said to himself.

Bobbi heard his voice again. _Shit! Why did I let them know I like drinking tea?!_

“Drinking tea is nothing to be ashamed of.” Bobbi smirked.

Lance looked at her in stunned silence for a moment. “Fuck. Off.”

“D-Did you just read his mind?” Leo asked.

“You bet I did.” Bobbi smiled. “It’s nice to see him speechless.”

“So you can control it?” Jemma asked, genuinely shocked and interested.

“Honestly, I have no idea.” Bobbi shrugged.

“Can we just stop for a minute?” Daisy asked. “I mean…this, this is _insane_ , right? Surely I’m about to wake up from a really weird dream?”

“I really don’t think this is a dream.” Jemma said excitedly. “I think this is real. I wonder what caused the storm…what powers might the rest of us possess?”

“Easy, nerd.” Lance rolled his eyes. “I hope I have x-ray vision.”

“You’re disgusting.” Bobbi shook her head.

“Basically, yeah.” Lance agreed.

“We should keep this to ourselves.” Leo said nervously, yet with more confidence than anyone had ever seen him show.

“If we all have some amazing super cool badass power, why would we hide that? We could go on the news and make millions!” Lance objected.

“Or we could be locked up and e-experimented on.” Leo argued.

“This is a movie, mate.” Lance said.

“I think he has a point.” Jemma said. “We shouldn’t risk it. Or at least wait until we know what all of us can do, if all of us _can_ do anything.”

“Agreed. It’s a smart move. I’d rather not be dissected.” Bobbi agreed.

“Me too.” Lincoln nodded.

“…Fine, whatever. You’ll be sorry when my power is something awesome and newsworthy like…like shitting money or something.” Lance said.

“ _Shitting money_?” Lincoln questioned

“It’d be worth the suffering and you know it.”

The door slammed open and Grant stormed in. “You’re all late to rollcall. Hurry up.”

“Yes, sir.” Lance rolled his eyes. “What did you do to your hand?”

Everyone looked and saw Grant’s hand was now bandaged after what Bobbi had witnessed the day before. Grant glared at Lance with unnecessary intensity.

“Is it any of your business?”

Lance went to reply, but stopped himself when he saw the rage in Grant’s eyes. He could’ve sworn his pupils had turned red for a second or two. Shaking his head, Grant kicked open the door and hurried out again.

Daisy sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. Dude’s got issues.”

“Prick.” Lance cursed. “Right then, let’s go get given a task for me to spend all day ignoring and figuring out what my amazing power is.”

With a smug smile, Lance headed out of the room with Leo, Jemma and Daisy following. Lincoln went to leave but Bobbi stopped him.

“Hey, do you think all of this is temporary or what? What if we’re the only people affected?”

“I really don’t know. We’re gonna have to work it out as we go along.” Lincoln said worriedly.

Bobbi nodded nervously and the two rushed to join the others.

…

Grant stood in the corner of the main hall watching as Coulson lectured the six misfits about their latest job filing paperwork. Every time he looked at them he became filled with a rage he could barely control at the best of times.

Ever since that storm, there was anger in his blood. He could hardly bare it. He hated his own existence.

It had felt like he wasn’t even in control of his body the day before when he’d torn apart benches, chairs and trees with his bare hands and punched holes in walls. All he could do was try and forget about it and hope Bobbi had believed his excuses.

He didn’t know what was happening to him, but as he stared at those delinquents, the rage he felt made him feel like they had to be held responsible for it.

If his newfound rage was somehow going to destroy him, he’d just have to destroy them instead.


	2. Quake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your kind words about the first chapter, I'm glad you enjoyed it! The next six chapters will take turns focusing on a different character and fleshing them out while still moving the story forward. I think you might be able to guess who's up first from the chapter title, right? ;) Enjoy!

“Let’s get PISSED!” Daisy exclaimed loudly as she walked into her living room with a bottle of vodka held up in the air.

Her flatmates, Tessa and Jude, laughed loudly along with a few of their friends that they’d invited over. The place was an absolute mess, but it was Friday night and they were getting drunk so they didn’t care in the slightest. They all sat in a circle on the carpet throwing poker chips at each other and downing anything that anyone put in front of them.

Daisy had been living in the house for six months. She’d been adopted at a few months old and never really clicked with her foster family – she was grateful to them of course, but there wasn’t much attachment or sentimentality – so when her school friend Tessa asked if she wanted to move in with her and her boyfriend she couldn’t say no and moved out as soon as she finished college. It was made only better by the fact that Jude’s family was filthy rich so most of the extortionate rent was paid for by him.

After hours of drinking and dancing and laughing, the place looked even more of a mess. The group were playing poker but not paying much attention to what was actually going on. Everyone thought they were winning and Jude had become convinced that the King of Spades was staring at him.

“Your turn, Daisy Chain.” Tessa giggled.

“Is it?” Daisy wondered with a goofy grin.

“Dunno.” Tessa chuckled and everyone joined her.

Daisy could hardly breathe through drunken laughter. “Okay…okay…did anyone bet or…?”

“Probably.” Jude burped.

“Well, whoever did…I see your chips and they are not the edible kind.” Daisy laughed. “I raise you two of these red discs!”

With a bellow laugh, she slammed the chips down onto the centre of the circle. As her hand hit the ground, she was taken back by a vigorous vibration running through her arm and into her fingers.

Her eyes widened. The room exploded.

She screamed as she saw her friends fly away from her and crash into walls and furniture. She screamed louder as objects fell off the walls and cracks appeared all along them. She lost her voice by the time the floor began caving in and the whole house came crashing down around her.

…

Everyone sat in the locker room on Monday morning waiting for 9am to head to the main hall to greet Coulson. Daisy was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Daisy?” Bobbi asked as she looked at Daisy’s unopened locker.

“No idea.” Lincoln said, turning to Lance. “Any luck with powers?”

“Fuck all.” Lance groaned. “I spent all weekend trying. I tried frying circuits like you, staring at people to try and read their minds like Hot Stuff…”

“Don’t call me Hot Stuff.”

“…jumping off the sofa trying to fly, glaring at glass cups trying to smash them…all sorts and nothing. It’s bullshit.” Lance finished solemnly.

“No luck for me either.” Jemma added.

“What about you, weirdo?” Lincoln asked, looking at Leo, who was sat by his locker away from the others. “Anything?”

“N-No.” Leo mumbled. “And, um, w-why am I a weirdo when y-you’re the one who cut the power off in three blocks of houses?”

“Because that’s not weird, that’s kinda cool.” Lincoln retaliated. “I wonder if Daisy had better luck.”

“We’d know if she bothered to come.” Lance said. “Maybe she discovered her power was spontaneous combustion.”

“We should all swap numbers so we can keep in touch and update everyone even on weekends.” Jemma suggested.

“Good idea.” Bobbi nodded.

“By all means, just don’t let Braveheart know where you live.” Lincoln smirked at Leo.

“I d-didn’t film girls while they were sleeping.” Leo sighed.

“I’m gonna find out what you did one day, I promise.” Lincoln stated.

Everyone froze as the door opened and Daisy walked in. She wore loose bottoms and a grey hoodie. She was covered in cuts and bruises.

“Holy shit! What happened to you?” Lance asked as everyone stood up at the sight of her.

“…I can cause earthquakes and shit.” Daisy said emotionlessly.

“Now _that’s_ fucking awesome. I’m bloody jealous.” Lance said.

“It’s not awesome. Look at me! I destroyed my fucking house. I’ve been in hospital with my roommates all weekend, and their mates. We were having a right laugh drinking and then I blow us all up.” Daisy explained.

“Whole new meaning to the phrase ‘raise the roof’.” Lincoln smirked.

Lance laughed. “He beat me by one second.”

“Fuck off, both of you.” Daisy spat, heading to her locker and getting out her orange jumpsuit.

“Are you okay? How’s the pain?” Jemma asked.

“I’m fine, just a bit shaken.” Daisy admitted.

“Not as shaken as your house.” Lance held back a smile as Daisy gave him the finger.

“Are your friends alright?” Bobbi wondered.

“Yeah, thank fuck. Just battered and bruised. I got off very lightly; they’re all still in hospital now. Luckily they all hit their heads and can’t remember the circumstances surrounding it. I told them it was a gas leak or something.” Daisy revealed.

“Well that’s something. You wouldn’t want word of that getting out. At least now you know what your power is you can try and learn to control it.” Jemma smiled.

“Hopefully.” Daisy nodded sadly. Jemma rubbed her shoulder comfortingly.

“I can fire bolts out of my fingers now. I spent all of Sunday working on it.” Lincoln said proudly. He pointed at Leo and a tiny blue light shot out of his finger and into Leo’s chest. He fell from the bench he was sat on with a thump and Lincoln laughed.

“Don’t do that!” Leo shouted.

“Sorry about that, Braveheart. I sneezed.” Lincoln grinned.

“Leave him alone.” Jemma said. “Are you sure you’re okay, Daisy? Where are you gonna stay? There’s room back at my house.”

“Thanks, but I’m not a charity case. I’ll just stay with my foster family for a bit then see what Tess and Jude want to do when they’re out of hospital.” Daisy smiled appreciatively.

“…Uh, it’s past 9am.” Leo said quietly as he checked his watch.

“He can tell the time! Congrats.” Lincoln said sarcastically, getting up and patting Leo on the back. As he did, he sent another electric shock through Leo, who fell from his bench again.

“I should see a doctor about these spasms I keep having. My apologies.” Lincoln chuckled as he headed out, followed by the rest of the group. Jemma stopped and helped Leo up.

“Just ignore him. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Leo snapped, pulling his arm out of her hand and storming out. Jemma sighed then followed.

…

“Just sort the donated clothes into piles; men’s, women’s and children’s. Put them into the cardboard boxes in the corner and then take them to Room 19A for storage. Daisy, if you’re not able to carry any boxes don’t strain yourself, alright?” Coulson instructed.

“Okay. Thanks, Coulson.” Daisy said.

“Great. Enjoy.” Coulson smiled before heading out towards his office.

“Do you think he’s lost all his hair and that’s all just stuck on?” Lance asked as he watched Coulson go.

“If it were fake I’m sure he’d have just gotten his whole head covered.” Bobbi replied.

“Can you imagine him with a full head of hair? Gives me the creeps just thinking about it.” Lance chuckled.

“If anyone’s power is the ability to sort clothes with a click of their fingers, now would be a great time to discover it.” Jemma noted.

“I’ll be honest, if that’s my power I’m gonna be fucking disappointed.” Lance commented.

“You never know, we might find something we like to keep for ourselves.” Bobbi suggested.

“Don’t know if I’d risk that. God knows where any of this tat has been.” Lance said.

“I’m feeling the childish temptation to jump into them.” Lincoln chuckled as he assessed the huge pile of clothes.

“Wow, there was a girl in my class from college who wore crap like this.” Daisy smiled as she held up a neon orange sweater. “We called her Velma. Good times. Never did learn her real name.”

“You went to college?” Lance asked. “Impressive.”

“We all went to college except you and Lincoln.” Bobbi revealed.

She heard Lincoln’s voice as he stared at her. _She went to college too? How about that?_

“Oi! I heard that, you prick!” Bobbi yelled, throwing a shirt at Lincoln.

“Shit! Sorry! It was a nice surprise, really! That’s gonna burn me a hell of a lot, huh?” Lincoln asked.

“If I’m lucky.” Bobbi smirked.

“What did you study at college?” Jemma asked Daisy.

“Computing.” Daisy answered. “Kind of why I ended up here, actually.”

“Oh, tell me more!” Lincoln requested excitedly.

“…Ugh, okay. One of the guys on my course did all sorts of hacking and stuff, websites and the like. Just harmless fun. He had all the proper equipment at his house, and there was a group of us who’d go and just have a play with it all. Then one day we decided it would be pretty funny to hack the security feed at GAP and replace it.” Daisy began.

“What did you replace it with?” Bobbi wondered.

“Porn?” Lance offered.

Daisy laughed and pointed at Lance. “Bingo.”

The others laughed as Daisy continued. “We were stupid enough to actually be at the store to witness our good work and security cottoned on to us. I was the only one who got caught since I was wearing freakin’ heels. But I didn’t grass anyone up, I’m not that kind of girl. Luckily a few of the people in charge found the fun in it and didn’t punish me as severely as they could have. Hence seven weeks community service with you suckers.”

“Well that definitely beats getting into a fight in a bar.” Lincoln chuckled.

“Yeah, your origin story was lame.” Daisy agreed with a smirk.

…

Coulson heard a loud crash as he approached his office. It was coming from a room at the end of the corridor. As he made his way towards the noise he realised the noise had come from a storage room.

“Grant, is everything o-h my god.”

The room was a bombsite. The shelves filled with cardboard boxes had been cleared and the floor was littered with papers and card. Grant was leaning against the wall at the back at the room and stared at Coulson blankly as he walked in.

“What happened? Are you alright?” Coulson asked.

“I’m fine. Dropped a box and it started a chain reaction, that’s all.” Grant said.

“Some of the boxes are in pieces.”

Grant sighed heavily. “They’re fragile.”

“Well, let me help you clear this up.” Coulson said, taking to the floor.

“I can handle it.” Grant said.

“It’s no problem, we can do half the room each and -”

Grant knelt down and placed a firm hand on Coulson’s shoulder and spoke coldly. “I said I can handle it.”

“…Right. As you wish.” Coulson swallowed, slowly getting up and making his way out, confused by Grant’s erratic behaviour. He hadn’t been so intense at his job interview…

Grant watched him go before looking around the room at the destruction he’d caused. He breathed heavily as veins popped out of his skin, making his skin feel like fire.

He could feel the rage inside of him getting worse by the second.

…

“So could you like, turn off the power here so they can let us go early?” Lance questioned as the group finished sorting the clothes into boxes.

“I dunno. Maybe eventually. There’s a lot to grasp.” Lincoln answered.

“I want a bloody power! Maybe teleportation or something? Or anything I touch could turn to gold? That’s be sweet.” Lance speculated.

“What about you? What power would you want?” Jemma asked Leo as they picked up some boxes to take into storage.

“Oh, uh…I dunno. M-Maybe…lasers or something.” Leo answered shyly.

“That would be interesting.” Jemma nodded. “Imagine how quickly you could cook food!”

“Huh. Yeah.” Leo nodded with a faint chuckle and a brief smile. It faded when he was hit by another electric shock.

“Sorry, I enjoy that way too much.” Lincoln chuckled.

“Cut it out.” Leo said.

“I’m only having a bit of fun!” Lincoln argued.

“Well…i-it’s not fun for me.”

“B-B-But it’s fun for me.” Lincoln mocked. Leo sighed and went to walk out. “Hey, wait. If it bothers you that much, I’ll lay off. Deal?”

He held out his hand. After a moment, Leo tentatively put the box down and shook it, only to receive an even bigger shock and fly across the room.

“For god’s sake, Lance!” Bobbi said, rushing to Leo’s aid.

“It gets funnier every time!” Lincoln chuckled as Leo got up on his feet. He’d gone as pale as a ghost.

“You don’t look so good, are you alright?” Daisy asked as she cautiously approached Leo. Even Lance looked somewhat concerned.

“I, uh…I…I…” Leo began.

Suddenly, his body contorted. He stood fixed in place but his head and hands became a blur as if they were moving at high speed. Everyone stepped back in shock; Lincoln’s laughter died instantly.

“Leo!” Jemma cried.

Leo let out a scream. And then he was gone. The space where he’d stood seconds before was empty.

“Fuck, you killed him.” Lance glanced at Lincoln.

“Fuck off, no I didn’t.” Lincoln said worriedly. “Where’d he go?”

_“W-What do you mean, where did I go? I’m…I’m right here.” Leo replied._

_He looked at everyone in turn; they were all staring at him yet discussing where he could have gone. He looked down and could see he hadn’t moved from where he stood. Were they just playing another joke on him, pretending he wasn’t there?_

_Or maybe…_

_“Can’t you hear me?” Leo asked. The group were still talking about his whereabouts and were looking around the room in a panic. “Or see me? Hello!”_

_He walked up to Bobbi and stood right in front of her. “Look at me! I’m here! Hello!”_

_She looked right through him like he wasn’t there at all._

_He wasn’t there at all._

_He walked up to where Lincoln was stood looking around and watching the others search and shout after him. “S-Spiky haired prick.”_

_He spent a short while walking around the room, watching as Jemma, then Bobbi and then Lance all left the room and came back reporting that they hadn’t found him and that they had no idea where he was._

_“I’m invisible.” Leo smiled to himself. Suddenly, he couldn’t breathe. His head and hands became blurred again as he let out another wail._

“Fucking hell!” Daisy yelped as Leo appeared in front of her. Everyone turned and looked in disbelief at the sight of Leo standing there. “What the fuck just happened? Where did you go?”

“N-Nowhere.” Leo revealed. “I…I was invisible. I was…I was talking to you but you couldn’t see or hear me.”

“Bloody hell, so you get something cool like invisibility and I don’t even know if I even have a power!” Lance said, frustrated.

“Are you okay?” Jemma asked Leo, who nodded then glared at Lincoln.

“My bad, Braveheart. But hey, without me you wouldn’t know you had a power! And an annoyingly cool one, too. At least you’ll never get caught filming girls sleeping again.” Lincoln laughed.

“I didn’t…I…I never…” Leo began but trailed off.

The doors crashed open and Grant stormed in. He’d been sweating heavily and his eyes were red raw. “What the hell are you all doing? All I can hear is you shouting and running all over the place!”

“We were looking for Leo.” Bobbi said.

Grant glared at Leo intensely. “I fucking found him. Get back to work!”

Grant’s booming voice echoed through the hall as he hurried out and slammed the door behind him.

“What’s that prick’s problem? He really doesn’t like us, does he?” Daisy asked.

“Mummy issues. I bet he has mummy issues. Or daddy issues. Maybe both.” Lance speculated. “Poor, hair gel obsessed bastard.”

“He looked like his head was gonna explode like Oberyn Martell.” Lincoln noted.

“Let’s just get these boxes moved so we can go home, yeah?” Bobbi suggested and everyone got to work.

Leo watched all of them as they continued their conversation, slightly hurt that his newfound powers had been glossed over so quickly. Sometimes he didn’t even need to _be_ invisible to be invisible.

…

“Hey!” Daisy smiled as she walked in a squeaky clean hospital room with some chocolates. Tessa lay on the bed and smiled at her weakly as she placed the chocolates by the side of the bed. “How’re you feeling?”

“Okay I guess.” Tessa said weakly.

“And Jude?”

“He took a beating, but he’ll be alright in a few weeks. They let me visit him earlier, and the other guys. You certainly got off lucky.” Tessa said.

“Well, I’m a lucky bitch.” Daisy forced a smile. “…Don’t worry about the house, either. Everything will be sorted out.”

“I know.” Tessa said. “Jude’s family are already talking about suing the landlord for poor maintenance. We’re gonna stay with them for a bit after we both get out of here.”

Daisy tried to hide her disappointment. “Yeah. Of course.”

“…Look, Daisy, um…when we’re sorted and Jude and I do find a place, um…well, we’re gonna be looking for somewhere for just the two of us.”

“…What?” Daisy asked, shocked.

“This whole accident…it put things in perspective. Anything can happen, you know? I want to squeeze the most out of every day and we want to be a proper adult couple. Living together. Alone.” Tessa explained.

“But…six months ago you asked me to live with you for at least a year, we were all so excited!” Daisy argued.

“I know, I know, and we have had a laugh, Daisy, we have, but…things have changed. I’m sorry. I, I hope you understand.”

“…Yeah, sure. I…I understand.” Daisy faked a smile.

“And you’re gonna be okay? You have somewhere to go?” Tessa asked.

“Yeah, of course! You know me. I’m the Queen of Okay. Always.”

She walked out of the hospital unable to comprehend how drastically her life had changed in just a week. That bloody storm had ruined everything. She got out her phone and dialled.

“Hey, it’s me. Yeah, I’m doing okay, just cuts and bruises. Listen, I was kind of hoping I could come back home and stay with you for a while until I find my feet. Huh? Oh, but I thought the spare room…? Ah, a gym. Right. Okay…no, no, that’s fine! Don’t worry. I, uh…I’ve had offers from friends, I’ll just bunk with one of them. I’ll be okay. Yeah. Really, it’s fine. Yeah. Bye.”

She hung up and sighed. She’d meant what she’d said to Jemma; she wasn’t lowering herself to being a charity case. There was only one place she knew she could go.

…

The community centre was all locked up when Daisy arrived. She was pleased to see a familiar face stood by the entrance waiting for her. “Thanks for coming.”

“Didn’t have anything better to do.” Lincoln said. “So, beautiful girls texts me late at night asking to meet up…what’s the plan?”

“I need to get into the community centre and I need you to fry the alarm.” Daisy revealed.

“What? Can’t you just wait for tomorrow?” Lincoln asked.

“No. Look, I’ll open the door and you’ll have a few seconds to fry the generator. It’s right by the door next to the reception desk. Okay, whizz kid?” Daisy asked.

“…Uh, fine. But let me go on record and say this is not how I thought this was gonna go.” Lincoln groaned.

“What were you expecting to happen? If I wanted to have sex with you, which I don’t, don’t you think I’d have picked somewhere a bit more suitable?” Daisy questioned.

“Well it’s not like you have a house to bring me back to is it?” Lincoln retaliated. Daisy shot her a look. “Too soon?”

“Just get ready!” Daisy ordered. “I practiced a bit in the park earlier on some pebbles. A bit of trial and error later and I think it all comes down to breathing control.”

“And now you’re talking about panting? I don’t appreciate this sex teasing.” Lincoln said.

“There was never any sex teasing, you hormonal prick. Ready?”

“Fine.”

“Okay.” Daisy nodded, and raised her hand towards the lock on the double door entrance of the building. She took a deep breath in, held it, and slowly let it out. As she did so, a visible stream of vibration flew from her hand towards the lock and it smashed open. Lincoln shot a spark at the generator and it shut down with a small thud.

“Okay?” Lincoln asked.

“Okay. Thanks. You can go now.” Daisy announced.

“…Just like that? What did I get out of this, exactly?”

“The knowledge that you’ve finally done something in your life that wasn’t a dick move. See you tomorrow.” Daisy smiled and wandered inside. Lincoln watched her go, shook his head, made a comment about women under his breath and headed off home.

…

Daisy emptied out a box of clothes that had been sorted earlier that day onto the floor. After a bit of rearranging, she’d managed to construct a mattress and pillow of sorts and lay down on it, trying to think of what story she’d tell Coulson the next morning about the broken door and shut down security system. She couldn’t wait to work out what it was going to be.

As she stared up at the ceiling, the quietness became all too clear. She hadn’t felt quite so alone with her thoughts for a long while, and her thoughts nowadays were hardly good company. She’d been used to noise in the community centre over the past week, be it Lincoln tasking the piss out of Leo or Lance saying some rude or obnoxious or both. She hadn’t considered the silence that filled the place after everyone had gone home for the day.

A week ago she’d been asleep in her own bed in her own house with her friends getting ready to start community service. Now, she’d drifted off to sleep on a pile of donated clothes in a community centre thinking about her new acquaintances and powers that had torn her life apart along with her home.

She dreamt of life before the storm and wished she never had to deal with what came after.


	3. More Than Words

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Bobbi's turn in the spotlight. Enjoy!

Bobbi walked into the locker room the next morning and was shocked to see Daisy and Lance were already there and ready for the day ahead, their bright orange jumpsuits looking ugly as ever. Daisy smiled while Lance, who was sat facing away from Bobbi, didn’t move a muscle.

“What are you two doing here so early?” Bobbi asked.

“Oh…I left my phone here last night; too eager to get it back, you know?” Daisy lied.

Bobbi nodded before hearing Daisy’s voice. _That was believable enough, right? I can’t tell them I slept here last night._

Bobbi looked at Daisy and forced a smile, desperately trying to hide that she’d heard her inner thoughts. She’d have to deal with it another time. “What about you?”

Lance remained unmoving and unresponsive to Bobbi’s question.

“I haven’t been able to get anything out of him since he got here either.” Daisy revealed. Bobbi walked closer and noticed Lance was sat staring at a bottle of water.

“What the fuck is he doing?” Bobbi asked.

“Trying to boil the water with his mind.” Daisy rolled her eyes.

Bobbi sighed. “There’s no use spit balling ideas of what your powers could be. Just wait and see what happens.”

Lance gave up and glanced at Bobbi. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you didn’t know what your powers were!”

“Jemma doesn’t know either and she doesn’t moan about it every two minutes.” Bobbi said.

“Well whoopee for Jemma.” Lance grumbled.

Lincoln and Jemma entered, with Lincoln hurrying past the group and towards another door. “God, I need a piss.”

“Morning everyone.” Jemma smiled. “Lance, please put the top back on that water bottle. It’s making me nervous.”

“Bloody hell.” Lance sighed, obeying regardless.

“Where’s Leo? He’s normally here by now.” Jemma noted.

“Here.” Leo said, appearing out of nowhere next to Lance. Everyone staggered back in shock as Leo failed to suppress a slight grin.

“Oh, you wanker!” Lance exclaimed. “How long have you been there?”

“Ten minutes.” Leo smirked.

“Don’t start getting cocky; you’re the weird, quiet one. That’s your thing.” Lance stated.

Coulson entered the room, and was just about to speak up about Lincoln’s absence when Lincoln walked back into the room. With a satisfied smile, he turned around and nodded and a young woman the group didn’t recognise entered the room behind him. She carried a large bag and had dark curly hair with wild eyes brought out even more by the orange jumpsuit she’d been placed in.

“Everyone meet Raina. She’ll be serving with you for the next few weeks. Be nice.” Coulson explained. “It’s a nice day, so you’ll be painting the outside benches this morning. Grant will bring the supplies out to you.”

The second Coulson left the room, Raina dropped her bag and tore off her jumpsuit, leaving her solely in her underwear. Leo blushed and shyly looked at the floor while Lance and Lincoln gawped in amazement. Daisy, Jemma and Bobbi didn’t know whether to be proud or ashamed. Raina unzipped her bag, pulled out some of her own clothes and got dressed.

She looked up to see everyone staring. “No way am I wearing that orange rag. God knows who’s worn it before now. That prick ain’t telling me what to do.”

“I think Coulson means well really.” Jemma said.

“Don’t we all.” Raina rolled her eyes.

Bobbi heard Raina’s voice in her head. _Ugh, I already hate all of them._

“Bitch.” Bobbi muttered under her breath. Raina looked at her for a few moments but nothing came of it. She finished getting changed into her clothes and looked at Lance and Lincoln in turn. “Like what you see?”

“...I’m not sure if I’m supposed to answer that.” Lance admitted.

“Either way that’s the most you’re ever gonna see again.” Raina said and turned to Leo. “Not even a peek from you, huh? How gay are you.”

“I-I’m not gay.” Leo stuttered.

“Whatever.” Raina shrugged. “I’m gonna go for a smoke.”

With that, she turned and strutted out of the room. Everyone watched her in bewilderment.

“Do I utterly adore her or want to punch her so hard her face concaves?” Daisy wondered.

“I’m having the same dilemma.” Bobbi said.

…

Daisy, Jemma and Bobbi all knelt together painting one side of a bench. Raina was away from the group leaning against the metal fence with a cigarette. Lance and Lincoln were watching her while haphazardly painting while Leo stood away from them hard at work.

“Do you think she’s gonna do any kind of work?” Jemma asked, gesturing towards Raina.

“I doubt it.” Bobbi said.

“…So do you think she was on to something about Leo?” Daisy wondered.

“What do you mean?” Jemma asked.

“Do you think he’s gay?” Daisy asked.

The three girls looked over to Leo, concentrating on his painting with immense precision.

“I don’t know. Can’t say I know him well enough to judge. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you much about him compared to the rest of you guys.” Bobbi admitted.

“I don’t think he is. I just think he was being respectful.” Jemma speculated.

Daisy nodded in agreement. Leo turned to his side to grab more paint and noticed the girls all staring at him before quickly turning away again.

Bobbi stopped working when she heard his voice. _What have I done now? They all laugh at everything I do. Why can’t I just be normal? Bloody moron._

Her heart broke for him. She hadn’t really thought that the reason he kept himself to himself was because of everyone else around him and not just his personality.

“Uh oh, here we go.” Daisy grinned excitedly as she saw Grant Ward approaching the group. His gaze was intently on Raina; he held her ripped jumpsuit in his hand.

“Excuse me, new girl. You’re required to wear this.” Grant stated as he reached her.

Raina studied him for a moment. “My name’s Raina.”

“I’ll care enough to learn your name when you start respecting the rules.”

“I’m not wearing that rag.” Raina snorted.

Grant’s whole body tightened. “You’re going to put this on, put out that cigarette and do some work.”

Raina smirked and stepped closer to Grant. “…Am I really?”

Grant was practically foaming at the mouth. “Yes. Really.”

“I don’t think so, handsome.” Raina smiled, blowing smoke in Grant’s face. He grabbed her wrist. “Ow! You’re hurting me, you prick! Get off!”

She pushed him away.

“MY OFFICE! NOW!” Grant roared. His voice echoed for what felt like could have been miles. Everyone froze and looked at him. Raina’s plucky confident exterior faded for a brief moment, but not for long. She leant forward and whispered into his ear.

“No thanks.”

Grant was shaking, his eyes bulging and veins popping out his neck. He almost looked like a different man to the one the group had first met. He glared at Raina intensely for a long while before storming off back towards the building.

Raina laughed and approached the girls. “He’s hot. Gotta get in at least a quickie before my service is over.”

“Lovely.” Jemma said. “So, are you gonna help us paint these benches?”

“You know, I would, but you guys are doing such a great job it’d just be silly for me to do a subpar job of it.” Raina said.

“…Right.” Bobbi said.

“I’m gonna get something from the vending machine. You guys want anything?” Raina asked.

“Oh yeah, can I -?”

“-No? Okay. See ya in a few.” Raina strutted away.

“…What an…interesting character.” Jemma concluded.

Bobbi watched as Raina walked past Leo and he turned nervously away from her. The pang of guilt she’d felt from his thoughts earlier returned. Suddenly, she was reminded of what she’d heard Daisy thinking before. Maybe she couldn’t ease her guilt over Leo just yet, but she could do something about Daisy.

“Hey, can I talk to you quickly?” Bobbi asked Daisy, who nodded and walked a few steps away from Jemma.

“What’s up?” Daisy wondered.

“…I heard your thoughts earlier.” Bobbi revealed.

“When?” Daisy asked.

“…I know you slept here last night.”

Daisy was silent for a moment. “Have you told anyone?”

“Of course not.”

“Well don’t. Things fell through with finding a new place, that’s all.” Daisy said.

“Well Jemma said -”

“-I know, but like I said. I’m not a charity case.” Daisy stated.

“But it only makes sense to accept some help, Daisy. It’s okay to struggle; you can’t just live here.” Bobbi said.

“…Look, I get that you mean well but don’t act all high and mighty, alright? Don’t use your powers to get one over on people to make you feel better.” Daisy said.

“That’s not what I’m doing at all; I can’t help what I hear.”

“But you don’t have to act on it; it makes it seem like you relish in knowing I’m miserable.”

“I’m not!” Bobbi said.

“Then stay out of my business! I mean, are you hardly in much of a position to give me advice about how I live my life? Last time I checked we were _both_ stuck in community service so I’d take a long hard look at yourself before you start telling others how to live.” Daisy snapped and walked off. Bobbi watched her go and sighed.

…

Daisy refused to speak to Bobbi for the rest of the day. Raina never returned from her vending machine break so had clearly just gone home and after a long day of tedious tasks, Bobbi was excited to go home and rest for a while. She got changed into her clothes and began the walk home.

She was two blocks away from her house when she walked past two girls in expensive clothes with fake tans. They looked at her and then at each other as they crossed paths.

Bobbi heard two voices in her head. _What a mess. Ugh, skank._

She turned around to see the girls were looking back at her as they walked. They quick faced away from her and continued on. Bobbi looked down at her clothes; sure, they were a bit scruffy but they were comfortable. Yeah, she hadn’t put that much make-up on that morning, but…skank?

She wondered how many times people must have thought that when they’d looked at her over the years. It could have been hundreds and she’d not known. If she had she might have been able to change herself. She didn’t really want to change anything, but if it meant living a life full of thoughts like that running through her head…

She went straight to bed when she arrived home, wondering at what point being able to read minds had stopped being fun. All at once it had become a curse.

…

“Has anyone seen Raina?” Coulson asked the next morning at rollcall.

“She went to get a snack yesterday and never came back so I wouldn’t bet on seeing her again anytime soon.” Lincoln revealed.

Coulson sighed. “On her own head be it.”

“Maybe Grant got his hands on her.” Lance whispered to Daisy, who chuckled.

“She’d like it if he did.”

“You alright?” Lincoln asked Bobbi quietly. “You’ve barely said a word this morning.”

“Uh, yeah. Just…lot of my mind.” Bobbi faked a smile.

“Well if anyone does, it’s quite literally you.” Lincoln smiled.

“Right, we’ve got some filing that needs doing in reception and the floors need cleaning. Two or three of you at least doing each activity; sort out amongst yourselves who does what. I’ll be round to check on you all soon; I’ll try contacting Raina.” Coulson announced before heading out.

“You can all fuck off if you think for one second I’m gonna be doing any more filing.” Lance stated “I will be mopping floors until Coulson checks on us and then the mop will become a lightsaber.”

“Mature of you.” Bobbi smiled. She looked at Daisy, who faced away from her and headed out of the room.

“I’m sensing a bit of tension in the room.” Lance noted.

“It’s nothing.” Bobbi said, heading out.

“If only I could read your mind and see what’s wrong.” Lance called out after her. “But that’s your power, not mine. What’s my power again? Oh yeah, I don’t fucking know yet. Bastards.”

…

Leo and Jemma sat on the floor behind the reception desk filing in silence for a while until Jemma took a risk and started a conversation.

“I love filing. I find it very calming.”

“…Oh. Yeah. Me too.” Leo nodded, saying nothing more.

Silence.

“…I wonder what Raina could be doing. And what’s going on with Bobbi and Daisy; they went off for a chat yesterday so I’m guessing it turned into a spat.” Jemma said.

“…Yeah. Maybe.” Leo smiled, not looking up from his filing.

“…How’s it going with your powers?”

“…Uh, fine.”

“…Good! Good. Um...I wish I knew what mine was.” Jemma admitted.

“W-Well I’m sure you’ll find out soon.” Leo muttered quietly.

“Hopefully.” Jemma nodded with a smile.

Silence.

“…I-I’m sorry.” Leo said. “You don’t have to try and talk to me. I know I’m not very good at it.”

“That’s not true.” Jemma stated.

“I-It is. It’s okay. I know you all think I’m a freak.”

“No we don’t.”

“…I guess I’ve never really had friends so I never talked to many people. Just my mum.” Leo admitted. Jemma thought she heard her heart break.

“Well you’ve got five friends now.” Jemma said.

“I…I don’t think so. I don’t think Lincoln likes me, and I haven’t really spoken to anyone else.”

“Lincoln just likes teasing people, that’s all. And hey…I’m your friend. So that’s at least one more than you had before, right?” Jemma smiled.

Leo looked her in the eye and smiled back shyly.

…

Daisy watched amusedly as Lance and Lincoln took part in a surprisingly entertaining lightsaber duel in the middle of the corridor, laughing every time one of them slipped over the freshly mopped floor. She heard footsteps coming up from behind her and turned to see Bobbi tentatively approaching. “Hi.”

“…Hey.”

Bobbi leant her mop against the wall. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I only did what I thought was best but you were right, it’s your life. And you were right about my life too; I thought things were okay but then you hear what other people think of you and you realise how wrong you were.”

Daisy looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“…Just something I heard some girls thinking about me yesterday. I’d assumed people had thought bad things about me before but…actually hearing it and knowing you weren’t just paranoid…it gets to you, you know? It’s not nice knowing that people really do look at you and thank god that they’re not you.” Bobbi explained sadly.

“…I never really thought about it like that.”

“Neither did I at first.” Bobbi sighed. “Do…do you think they’re permanent? Our powers? I’m not sure I want this for the rest of my life.”

“I don’t know.” Daisy admitted. “I was jealous of yours at first. I still don’t really get what causes me to tear buildings down and I get scared every time I enter a building in case I hurt the people in it, but…to have a power that can hurt emotionally…you must be pretty strong to cope with it.”

“…And what if I can’t cope with it?” Bobbi asked tearfully.

“That’s the thing with coping. People say they can’t even though they are, because they have no choice but to. And you listen to me, for every bitchy girl you hear think something bad – probably because they’re jealous – just remember that if you could hear my thoughts, or Jemma’s or Lance’s or any of us…you’d be hearing about how badass and awesome you are.” Daisy smiled.

“…Oh crap. I’m actually starting to get attached to you guys.” Bobbi laughed and Daisy laughed with her.

“Apology accepted, and I’m sorry too. I was acting out of my own self-loathing.” Daisy said.

“…But what are you gonna do about, you know, everything?” Bobbi asked.

“I’m gonna cope with it. Because I have to. But I have to cope with it on my own for now.” Daisy said.

“Your secret’s safe with me.” Bobbi smiled. Daisy smiled back and the two hugged. They broke apart at the sound of a loud snap.

“You fool, for now I have TWO lightsabers!” Lincoln exclaimed, holding up two halves of a broom while Lance laughed.

The laughter died down when a phone started vibrating, echoing through the corridor.

“Who’s is that?” Lincoln asked.

“Mine’s in the locker room.” Daisy said.

“And mine.” Bobbi added.

“Same.”

“Mine too.”

Daisy closed her eyes, knelt down and placed a palm on the floor, sensing the vibration through her fingers and following the source, stopping when she reached a set of four lockers set up in the middle of the corridor. “I think it’s in this locker here.”

“Are those even used?” Lance asked as he, Lincoln and Bobbi all joined Daisy.

“Look at that.” Lincoln said, pointing at the middle locker. One side of the door was littered with dents as if it had been forced shut.

“Hang on.” Lance said, pushing past Daisy and jamming one end of his broom into the door and pushing it in. After a few attempts and a bit of force the door flew open.

They all shouted in shock and fear as Raina’s lifeless body fell out and landed in front of them with a thud, her eyes open and staring into nothingness.

“Holy shit.” Daisy panted in disbelief.

“What the fuck…what the fuck…” Lincoln whispered, sinking to the floor.

Bobbi breathed and tried to compose herself while Lance remained frozen in shock. She knelt down and checked Raina’s pulse. She wasn’t surprised to find there wasn’t one. “Oh my god…her neck’s been snapped.”

“This isn’t happening. This just…this can’t be real.” Daisy whispered.

“Someone killed her….what the fuck…who would…holy shit.” Lance muttered.

“…Do you think…Grant?” Bobbi looked up at the others.

“The bloke’s got issues, sure, but…murder?” Lance wondered.

“We’ve seen how angry he gets, and how he was with her yesterday…” Lincoln noted.

“Oh my god. This just…this can’t be happening.” Daisy exhaled.

“What the fuck do we do?” Bobbi asked.

“Hello?” A voice filled the other end of the corridor along with approaching footsteps. “Where the hell are you all?”

They all froze with fear as they recognised the voice.

Grant.


	4. Sparks Fly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for Lincoln's turn in the spotlight, enjoy!

“Fuck. Shit. Fuck. What now?” Lance whispered in a panic as Grant’s footsteps drew nearer.

“We need to hide.” Lincoln swallowed, closing the locker door and looking down at Raina’s body. “Right, two of us grab an arm and the other two grab a leg.”

“Are you serious?” Daisy asked.

“Unfortunately.” Lincoln sighed. “Unless you want a potential murderer to see us having discovered his victim? Or unless you want an innocent yet creepy guy to discover us with a dead body?”

“…Good point.” Daisy groaned, kneeling down and clutching one of Raina’s arms. “I’m sorry Raina.”

Bobbi grabbed the other arm while Lincoln and Lance took hold of Raina’s legs. They all lifted her up and shuffled quickly down the corridor and through the nearest door into a supply closet.

“I’ve had some fucking weird days with you lot but this takes the biscuit.” Lance said. Placing Raina down, Lincoln and Daisy shoved a filing cabinet up against the door and waited, the hearts all in their throats. It almost felt as if Grant slowed down as he walked past the door, but he still continued onwards and soon the sound of his footsteps faded away into the distance.

Bobbi sank down to the floor with her head in her hands. “Holy shit.”

“Did that really just happen?” Daisy wondered.

“Well I’d hardly say the worst is over. Now what?” Lance asked.

Saying nothing, Lincoln knelt down and closed Raina’s eyes with a sad expression. She’d hardly made a good impression on any of the group, but they all knew she didn’t deserve her fate.

“I’ll text Jemma and Leo and get them to come here.” Bobbi announced, slightly unzipping her jumpsuit and taking out her phone.

“We just need to stay calm.” Lincoln added.

“Calm? We’re barricaded into a supply closet with a dead girl with the possible murderer looking for us!” Lance stated squeakily.

“And if we give off the slightest hint that anything’s wrong then we’re screwed.” Lincoln said.

“Well we need to tell someone! A girl’s been murdered; she probably has a family! We can’t just keep it to ourselves and leave her in a supply closet! Let’s get Coulson.” Bobbi suggested.

“We can’t! Not yet. What if this was him?” Lincoln speculated.

“Come on…” Lance grumbled.

“We don’t know anything for sure! Why would anyone kill Raina? We can’t trust either of them, not yet. Even if we could, there’d be too many questions. It’d find a way to backfire on all of us. Same thing if we told the police; we’re delinquents, they’d just pin it on us.” Lincoln explained.

“Let’s sneak into the security room and check the CCTV.” Bobbi said.

“We can’t; I fried the security system the other day.” Lincoln said.

“Why?”

“He was helping me out with something. They fixed the generator but the CCTV was all lost.” Daisy said. “That doesn’t matter now. What matters is Raina. What do we do with her until we figure out a solid plan?”

There was a gentle knock on the door. “Guys? You in there? We got Bobbi’s text.”

Everyone felt calmed to hear Jemma’s voice. Lincoln pulled the filing cabinet away and opened the door to reveal a bewildered looking Jemma and Leo stood there.

“What’s going on?” Jemma asked before looking down at the floor. “…Oh my god! Raina!”

Lance grabbed Jemma and Leo, pulled them inside and closed the door again.

“W-What did you do?” Leo asked, staring at Raina’s body in shock and fear.

“Nothing. We found her stuffed in a locker. She’s dead.” Bobbi explained, white as a sheet.

“…Oh dear god.” Jemma felt sick. Leo was lost for words.

“Neck snapped.” Lincoln added.

“Pretty sure it was Grant. I’m not sure Coulson would have the brute strength to do this.” Daisy said.

“…Yeah, uh…yeah. Agreed.” Jemma said, unable to take her eyes off Raina. “This is horrible.”

“I know.” Bobbi nodded sadly.

“I, um…I-I think we’ve been idiots.” Leo stated.

“One time the fucker speaks and it’s an insult.” Lance rolled his eyes.

“Grant and Coulson…t-they were caught in the storm with us.” Leo said.

“So?” Lincoln asked.

“S-So what if…what if they got powers too? If we all did, albeit with some remaining undiscovered, i-it’s safe to assume they did too.” Leo explained.

“…He’s right. How have we not thought of that before?” Bobbi sighed.

“We got caught up in our own powers.” Lincoln said. “It makes sense.”

“We can’t even tell Coulson about this now. God knows what powers he could have and possibly use against us. We’ve all noticed how unhinged Grant is and how angry he gets…what if it was the storm that did that too him? He wasn’t like that in the few minutes we knew him before it struck.” Jemma explained.

“Shit.” Lance cursed.

“So w-what are we going to do?” Leo asked.

“We need to move Raina to somewhere else until we know what we’re doing. I think we can all be safe in our assumption that Grant did this, right?” Bobbi said. Everyone eventually nodded in agreement. “Okay, so…where do we take her where she won’t be discovered?”

Silence for a moment.

“…I…I have an idea.” Leo spoke up.

…

The community centre kitchen hadn’t been used for years after a food poisoning scandal shut it down. Since the building was barely used as it was, no one really missed it. Thanks to a spark from Lincoln, some of the abandoned equipment could easily be rebooted.

Including the large freezer in the corner of the room.

“Well, isn’t this morbid as fuck.” Lance said as the group all stared while Lincoln and Leo gently lifted Raina into the freezer and closed the door.

“Morbid but smart.” Jemma said and turned to Leo. “This was a good idea.”

Leo smiled slightly.

“Makes you wonder how many girls are stuffed in Braveheart’s freezer, huh?” Lincoln grinned.

Leo’s smile faded.

“Right, let’s just get out of here; this is too much for me to handle. Coulson and Grant must be getting suspicious by now.” Daisy stated.

“Daisy’s right, we need to get back and pretend like nothing’s wrong. Somehow.” Bobbi said.

“What could possibly go wrong?” Jemma sighed.

“It feels wrong just…leaving her in here, you know?” Lance shivered.

“Careful, it almost sounded like you care then.” Lincoln said.

“I have my moments.” Lance shrugged. “But seriously…that’s a person in there and we’ve treated her like a bloody ice lolly.”

“And we can get justice for her, but not by getting the police or Coulson involved. We just need to stay focused and not let any of this get to us.” Bobbi stated calmly.

“If I’d known community service was gonna be like this I’d have sooner gone to jail.” Lance muttered.

…

“You were nowhere to be found!” Coulson protested as he stood with the group in his office.

“You told us to mop the floors…there are lots of floors to mop. You and Grant would be shit at hide and seek.” Lance said.

“You were slacking off, don’t pretend otherwise.” Grant snapped, stood next to Coulson and glaring at each of the group in turn.

“I think you need to trust us more.” Lincoln added.

“…The floors upstairs are dirty. Care to explain that?” Grant asked smugly.

“Your delicately polished shoes must have made them all grubby again when you were running about looking for us.” Lance retaliated. Grant looked as if he were about to blow when Coulson sighed.

“…Right, I’m tired of this. Let’s just move on and delegate tasks for the afternoon.”

“Coulson, you can’t just -”

“-Grant, please. There’s no way of proving anything so we’ll have to just learn from this moving forward.”

“I’ve got my eye on all of you.” Grant warned angrily. “Remember that.”

With that, he stormed out of the room with the door slamming behind him.

“Do you think he likes us?” Lance asked.

“Just…just take this seriously. I don’t want to have to discipline anyone more than you already have been.” Coulson said. “Don’t do anything to anger Grant.”

“…Has he always been so…short-tempered?” Jemma asked.

“Well…no. In training he was a pleasant young man, but…well, who knows what personal stuff he could have going on, so just be wary of that. No one knows what goes on behind closed doors.” Coulson said.

Bobbi heard Lincoln’s voice in her head and rolled her eyes. _Or closed freezer doors._

“There’s some graffiti on the walls outside that needs scrubbing off. Get busy.” Coulson ordered and gestured for everyone to leave.

As everyone headed out, Daisy spoke up. “I think it’s safe to say the storm did affect Grant, then. Turned him into the Hulk minus the green.”

“Raina pissed him off, he snapped and killed her. Anger can blind people to their actions. I think he’s slowly losing control.” Jemma speculated.

“That makes the most sense, but still…what do we do about it? And was Coulson affected too?” Lincoln wondered.

“If the bloke’s lucky he gained the power to grow hair back with the click of his fingers.” Lance smirked.

“We just need to stay vigilant and wary of them both, and keep them away from the kitchen if necessary.” Bobbi said.

“So, we just need to spend every waking moment pretending our lives aren’t some fucked up mess? The usual, then.” Lance nodded.

“Just stay cool.” Lincoln said as the group headed out to get supplies for their next job.

“I think Raina’s the champion when it comes to that.” Lance said. Everyone stopped and stared at him. “I know, I know, I hate myself. You’ve got to make jokes to hide the suffering.”

“Let’s just hope Grant’s not in a hurry to check on his victim.” Jemma said as the group collected the supplies and headed around the side of the building towards the graffiti. “We’re screwed if he realises Raina’s body has been moved.”

“Lincoln?” An unfamiliar voice sounded as the group turned the corner and saw a young man stood before them. He had greasy brown hair that went down to his shoulders and wore a manky grey tracksuit.

Lincoln stepped forward as recognition filled his face. “…James?”

…

Lincoln and James sat on the edge of the roof of the community centre, looking down on the courtyard watching as the others scraped away at some graffiti.

“Knew it was only a matter of time before you’d get yourself in trouble too.” James laughed.

“Except _I_ didn’t go to prison.” Lincoln smirked.

“Exactly; must try harder.”

“I thought you weren’t out for another few weeks.” Lincoln said.

“Got let out early for good behaviour; I just needed to get out of that place. So tedious.” James explained.

“So you won’t be setting any more houses on fire anytime soon, then?” Lincoln chuckled.

“It was a moment of weakness.”

“I’m sure it was.” Lincoln nodded with a smile. “You staying with your parents?”

“Yeah; they won’t talk to me but they won’t see me out on the street, so…I spoke to Rebecca and she told me you got community service. She didn’t seem to speak very fondly of you.” James said.

“We, uh…we had an awkward encounter a few weeks ago. Not sure we can recover.” Lincoln winced.

James chuckled. “One of these days you’ll hold down a girl for more than a month. Any decent ones down there?”

Lincoln looked at the others working and smiled. “They’re a good bunch, I guess.”

“Calm down, there was some fondness in your voice then. Remember who your real friends are, mate. Give it a few months and you won’t remember any of their names. We’re the original duo.” James smiled.

“…Yeah.” Lincoln said quietly.

“…And we can tell each other everything, right?” James wondered.

“Yeah. Yeah…of course.”

“…The day I got out…do you remember there was that freak storm?” James asked.

Lincoln felt his heart rate increase. “Y-Yeah?”

James let out a sigh. “…It…something happened to me.”

“What?” Lincoln asked all too quickly.

“Don’t freak out mate, but…” James trailed off timidly before holding out his hand. Within seconds, a small flame appeared out of thin air. Lincoln shuffled back in shock. “I couldn’t control it for the first few days, I just stayed out of everyone’s way. I…I think I’m getting a better handling of it now. That storm changed me, man. I haven’t told anyone but you. Please don’t freak out, I -”

“-James, it’s okay. You’re not alone.” Lincoln said, eyes wide with shock and elation. He placed a supportive hand on James’ shoulder and with a smirk sent a jolt through him.

“Ow! That…holy fuck.” James exclaimed.

“The storm changed me too. It’s not just us; everyone down there got affected too.” Lincoln said.

“Holy crap, mate. This is bloody awesome!” James grinned. “We have superpowers! We’re like bloody gods.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.” Lincoln shrugged.

“But what are the odds? We _both_ get powers! We’ve always been a team but now think of what we can do together! We wouldn’t have to worry about any bloody gangs again, that’s for sure. Those bastards down the road from my house won’t know what hit ‘em!” James said excitedly.

“I don’t think we should go showcasing anything just yet. Or hurting people.” Lincoln said.

“Why not? There’s no point in having these powers if we don’t use them, mate. We can run this place now. Our own bloody empire.”

“I just…I don’t think that’s what we should use them for. The world’s chaotic enough as it is; why cause any more harm? Maybe…maybe we could do some good with them?” Lincoln shrugged.

James was silent for a moment then looked over at the group working below them. “Is that what that lot have been telling you? Putting ideas in your head?”

“It makes sense.”

“The Lincoln Campbell I grew up with always wanted to get one over on those who screwed us over; made our lives hell. Think about how many times those blokes beat us to a pulp. We can finally end all of that for good; get our own back! I get locked up for a bit and suddenly you’re preaching about world bloody peace. That’s never gonna happen, mate, but my dream – _our_ dream – could! Don’t let that lot change you; we’re blood brothers, right?” James stated.

“People change, James.” Lincoln said.

“People shouldn’t.” James snapped. “You’re my one true mate, Lincoln. We grew up together. Don’t let a bunch of people you hardly know get inside your head. Blood brothers, yeah?”

Lincoln forced a smile “…Yeah.”

“Exactly!  So, tell me everything you know about these powers and shit. What’s the story with all that lot?” James prompted.

“I…I don’t know if it’s my place to tell you. It’s a long, complicated story. You might not understand.” Lincoln said.

“Hey, it’s _me_ , mate. I’ll always be on your side.” James smiled. “You can tell me anything and everything. Trust me.”

“…Okay. But you have to promise to keep this to yourself and not freak out.” Lincoln stated.

James smiled. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”

…

“Well, it was nice while it lasted. Just watch; Lincoln’s gonna phase us out now his bestie is back in the picture. I mean, I know it’s hardly much of change for Braveheart over there since your presence is barely registered but still…we had a good thing going.” Lance moaned as everyone packed their things away at the end of the day.

“Thanks.” Leo said sadly.

“Truth hurts, mate.” Lance shrugged.

“We need to focus on what matters now, and that’s what to do about Raina and Grant. We can’t just leave her in the kitchen freezer.” Daisy stated.

“What would you suggest?” Lance asked.

“…It’s not like we can bring her back. We should bury her somewhere. Properly.” Bobbi suggested.

“What about her family?” Jemma asked.

“If she has one…it’s awful, but maybe we’d have to cover it up. Track them down; leave them a note or something to make them think she just ran away.” Bobbi said.

“…That’s probably our best option.” Daisy sighed. “This still doesn’t feel real.”

“I think we’d better get used to that feeling.” Lance said.

Lincoln walked in, followed by James. “Did Coulson or Grant notice I was gone?”

“We covered for you, don’t worry. Grant’s neck is, like, seventy percent vein now.” Bobbi explained.

“Thanks. Everyone, this is my friend James. He, uh…he got powers from the storm too.” Lincoln revealed.

“What can you do?” Lance asked.

“Literally play with fire, mate.” James smirked, clicking his fingers and briefly lighting a flame in his hand.

“Fire?! That’s bloody awesome. Why can’t I get fire?” Lance moaned.

“What did you get then?” James asked.

“Wish I bloody knew.” Lance sulked.

“Listen…I told James everything. _Everything_. But he’s cool.” Lincoln stated.

“Not with those powers, he’s not.” Daisy chuckled.

“Your secrets are safe with me. Thanks for taking care of my old pal while I’ve been away, but we can take care of things now. You need to get rid of a body, and you may as well call me a human incinerator.” James announced.

“…That’s an option and we appreciate it, but I think we should handle our own mess.” Jemma said.

“Or you could just deal with the problem right now.” James said.

“We don’t want to risk anything getting exposed. The fire alarms could go off or someone could spot us trying to move Raina. We need to carefully think this through.” Bobbi stated.

James laughed. “Come on, stop being such pussies. Just get it done! I’m your salvation, guys, so let’s get this over with. Right, mate?”

James turned to Lincoln, who reluctantly shrugged. “I think they have a point, James. We can’t afford to be careless. If this gets out…our powers…the world hates what it doesn’t understand.”

“Why are you overcomplicating this? Back in the old days if we had a problem we dealt with it there and then. We moved on and didn’t look back.” James argued.

“Except our problems never involved superpowers or dead bodies, James. And…the old days are gone. Like you said, we moved on and didn’t look back.” Lincoln said.

“Come on, mate. You sound like a bloody moron. Let me handle this. We’re the dream team, after all, not a bunch of timid pansies you ain’t gonna see again when this is all over.” James spat.

“Don’t call them that.” Lincoln stated. “They’re my friends.”

“So am I.” James said angrily. “Your oldest friend. Don’t just drop me like I’m nothing!”

“Like you dropped me when you went to prison?” Lincoln posed.

James let out a heavy sigh. “…I see. You meet some new friends, go through some shit together and think they can replace me? We’ve had _years_ , Lincoln. Years. Don’t go choosing people you hardly know over me.”

“Why are you making it out like I have to choose?”

“Because they’re too scared to act! I’m not! They don’t want to live with these gifts we’ve been given the way I do – the right way. Sticking with them is wasting the powers we’ve been given. Let’s actually make a difference with them!” James exclaimed.

“You haven’t seen the bad side of these powers, James.” Lincoln stated. “People have died. More people still could.”

“I think we should just calm down and talk things through.” Jemma suggested.

“NO! We’ve done enough talking as it is. You can talk and plan all you want…or you can act and embrace our new destiny. We could conquer the world, Lincoln, not sit and chat in a locker room. It’s me or them.” James declared.

Lincoln sighed. “…Don’t make me choose. There’s no need for this.”

“They’re holding you back!” James shouted.

“They’re not the ones forcing ultimatums down my throat!” Lincoln retaliated.

“If we’re not careful, more people could get hurt.” Bobbi stated.

“You got that right.” James said as flames grew out of his hands. “I’m gonna fix your problem and then we’re getting away from these people and starting living the way we deserve to. The way gods do. I’ll start with the probation workers and then anyone else who gets in the way.”

“James, stop this…this isn’t you. Maybe it’s not just fire manipulation…” Lincoln began.

“Lincoln…are you with me or not?” James asked.

“I’m with you…but not like this.” Lincoln shook his head.

James saw red as he looked around the rest of the room. “What did you do to my friend?”

“He’s our friend too.” Daisy said.

“Don’t you dare even compare yourselves to me…I am so much more to him than any of you. I am…I am better. I am so much more. If I have to tell the police that you all killed that girl to get you out of the way, I will.” James threatened.

“Don’t you dare.” Lincoln warned.

“One more time, Lincoln…come with me. Let’s end this.”

“…Not like this, James.”

James’ head dropped with a sigh. “The storm really did change you, huh? It took everything away that made you a man.”

James threw out his arms with a roar of anger, sending flames raging towards the others. The flames singed the group’s clothes and sent them flying across the room as James burst out of the doors and ran towards the kitchen. Lincoln got straight back up and hurried after his friend as fast as he could, ignoring the pleas from the others to stop.

He smashed through the kitchen doors to find James crouched in the corner of the room, Raina’s body in his arms.

“Stay back, Lincoln. Let me do what has to be done.” James warned. Lincoln continued towards him. “I said, STAY BACK!”

He shot a fireball, sending Lincoln flying back and smashing into the wall. James’ eyes expanded and looked all black as he observed the flames grow in his hand and reach towards Raina’s body.

Suddenly, a jolt through his body, sending his arm backwards. He looked up to see Lincoln stood with a hand raised to the ceiling.

“This isn’t you, James.” Lincoln said sadly. “I’m sorry.”

A bolt of electricity shot out towards the ceiling. Within seconds, water fell all around as the sprinklers activated. James let out a roar of anger, throwing Raina’s body aside as he stood up.

“WE SHOULD BE GODS! WE CAN BE ANYTHING WE WANTED!”

“I don’t believe that’s what we should use our powers for. There are enough people in the world who think like that.” Lincoln stated.

“AFTER EVERYTHING! YOU’VE LET THOSE…THOSE FREAKISH DELINQUENTS CONSUME YOU!” James shouted.

“No, James. You let your powers consume you. That’s happening to someone else, the man who killed Raina…I have to stop him. I have to stop you. Please.”

“WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? YOU ARE MY FRIEND!” James roared.

“…I am.” Lincoln choked. “I am your friend.”

“I WON’T STOP, LINCOLN! I WILL LIVE UP TO MY GIFTS, EVEN IF YOU WON’T! I WILL BE SO MUCH MORE THAN THE REST OF YOU…I WILL BE A GOD! I WILL BE UNSTOPPABLE! I WILL…I WILL…I…I w-will…”

James held a hand to his chest as words failed him. He looked down to see a red glow spreading across his body. He looked up at Lincoln, who stood frozen in horror as the light faded in James’ chest and in his eyes.

He fell backwards, on top of Raina’s body. Lifeless.

Lincoln stared in shock. He urged himself to move but couldn’t, and only watched with tears pouring down his face as James’ body burst into flames despite the sprinklers. The flames spread to Raina’s body in an all-consuming blaze.

When the sprinklers stopped and the rest of the group rushed into the kitchen, they were met with the sight of Lincoln sobbing as he crouched over a pile of ashes where James and Raina used to be.

…

Lincoln stood solemnly over the two mounds of dirt in the middle of a nearby wood. They couldn’t know for sure how much of the ashes were correctly separated, but it only seemed right to bury two piles nonetheless – one for James and one for Raina. James’ powers were a curse; they were too much for a human body to handle – no matter what, his heart would have given out eventually.

Coulson had pinned the sprinkler incident on the ‘mysterious’ occurrence days earlier when the security had been fried and the entrance had been smashed open (Daisy and Lincoln were obviously reluctant to tell him they were to blame). Bobbi had left a note for Raina’s family explaining she had run away and informed Coulson of the same, while Lincoln knew he was the only one who would truly miss James.

The group had helped Lincoln dig the holes and payed their respects, putting their faith in Lincoln’s belief that James had been a different person before the storm. After paying their respects to James and Raina, they had parted ways and gone home. All except for Daisy, who needed to wait for the community centre to dry out before she could return and sleep. Plus, she felt a need to make sure Lincoln was okay.

She stood next to him in silence for a long while.

“It’s funny, isn’t it?” Lincoln said. “I’ve been focusing so much on what the storm gave me that I didn’t consider that it would take things away too.”

“…I’m sorry.” Daisy said.

“Neither of them deserved this. I know Raina didn’t make the best impression, but…still…”

Daisy nodded. “I know.”

“…He was my best friend.” Lincoln choked.

Daisy took Lincoln’s hand in hers. “I know. But just remember you’re not alone. And if you ever want to talk about any of this…just come and find me. Believe me, I’m an expert in losing people.”

“…It’s strange…I…I can’t even focus on the good. All that’s running through my head is all those things he said…the storm taking away what made me a man.” Lincoln said sadly.

“He was wrong.” Daisy stated. “You know…I never knew my parents. My real ones, I mean. I used to dream of all those cheesy scenarios where my dad would carry me on his shoulders or push me on the swings. I see kids with their dads walking down the street and they’ll hold their hands and have tea parties and let me cover their faces with make-up…and I always think how _that_ is how a man loves. Openly and freely. I can see that in you; you loved your friend and will never be afraid to show it. The way you love is more proof that you’re a man than you’ll ever need.”

Lincoln let a tear fall as he faced Daisy. “Thank you.”

“…I’ll leave you alone. See you tomorrow.” Daisy smiled, squeezing Lincoln’s hand before walking off.

Lincoln knelt down in front of all that was left of his friend and closed his eyes.

“…Sleep well, buddy.”

He stood up, took one last look and remembered his friend as the man he knew before the storm.

He didn’t look back.


	5. The Nowhere Man

“Have you got your phone?”

“Yes, mum.”

“And your keys?”

“Yes, mum.”

“And your lunch?”

“Yes, mum. How many times do you have to check?” Leo groaned as he stood by his front door ready to go to the community centre for yet another day of feeling out of place and in fear of being murdered by a psychotic probation worker. The usual.

“I’m just making sure.” Leo’s mother said as she joined him out the front of the house and locked the door. “I can give you a lift if you like.”

“I prefer walking, thanks.” Leo said.

“Okay. Be good; stay out of trouble. My Leo doing bloomin’ community service. Almost unthinkable.”

“It was a one off, mum.” Leo sighed.

“It better had be, young man. See you when I get home from work. Empty the dishwasher when you get back, okay?”

“Okay.” Leo rolled his eyes as his mother kissed him on the cheek, got into the car and drove off. Leo sighed heavily as he made his way towards the community centre; it wasn’t a long walk but the cold breeze made it feel like miles. Even so, he still preferred the calmness that came with walking as opposed to the loudness that came with cars or buses or his mother’s nattering about ‘that bitch Irene’ from work. When it came to walking, he could take his time and know he was in control.

Of course, that feeling would end as soon as he arrived. He could only wonder what insults would be thrown at him this time. If anyone bothered to speak to him at all. He’d always been shy around people, but after the storm he’d hoped that he finally had an experience to share with people and bond with them through it; instead, they’d all bonded without him.

He supposed he’d have to give Lincoln a pass for a while and just take the insults; he was still shaken up by the death of his friend James, so Leo expected more insults than ever before as a coping mechanism. At least now Lincoln had a reason to be an arsehole. Lance was more irritating than hurtful, but he’d never actually shown any kindness towards him. As for the girls, they’d barely registered his existence at all – Jemma had said they were friends but had barely spoken a word to him since. Was there something that wrong with him? Maybe he wasn’t as traditionally good looking as Lance and didn’t have muscles and abs like Lincoln, but surely he had something going for him? Anything?

Perhaps he shouldn’t blame them for how they treated him, though; his mother was the only family he had. His father left when he was little, after all. If his own family didn’t want to bother with him, why would anyone else?

He turned the corner and just as the community centre became visible, he saw the others walking in and chatting in a group. He knew most of them lived far apart, and yet they were walking in together. What a surprise.

He timidly approached them. Lincoln was the first to notice him. “Morning, Braveheart.”

Leo just nodded; Lincoln had worse nicknames for him, so that was a decent start to the day. He could smell the delicious scents of sausages and bacon coming off of them. “W-Where have you all been?”

Jemma looked startled. “Oh…we, uh…we all went for breakfast. You know, at the diner down the block?”

Leo tried not to look too upset. “…Oh. I see.”

“We’d have asked you along, but it’s hardly your scene, is it?” Lance said.

“…I-I eat food.” Leo said.

“As shocking a revelation as that is, that’s not what I’m talking about.” Lance smirked. “It’s just that…well, there were other human beings there. You don’t tend to do well in those situations, do you?”

“You…you don’t know the first thing about me.” Leo said.

“We know you’re a freak.” Lincoln said. “That’s something.”

“I’m n-not a freak. Stop…stop saying that.” Leo said shyly.

“Leave him alone, guys.” Daisy said. “Ignore them.”

“Well you all…you all ignore me, so I suppose I can too.” Leo snapped. He regretted it instantly.

“Hey, I was sticking up for you!” Daisy stated.

“Really? Because…because I don’t recall you ever treating me much better. C-Can you even tell me my surname?” Leo posed. Daisy stayed silent. “Of course not.”

“Leo, come on…you’re overreacting.” Bobbi said.

“Says the girl everyone talks to.” Leo said. “I-I don’t even need my powers to be invisible, do I?”

Leo hurried on ahead of the group while Lance and Lincoln chuckled. Jemma went to shout after him but words escaped her.

…

The group got changed and made their way into the main hall, where Coulson and Grant were waiting alongside another woman they didn’t recognise. She had a stern look on her face and was dressed all in black. You could tell by the sight of her that she could snap you in half in seconds.

Lance chuckled as he noticed Coulson’s arm was bandaged up and tied around his shoulder. “What did you do, over-polish your shoes and slip over?”

“Funny, but no. I was hit by a car last night, if you must know.” Coulson revealed. “It does mean, however, that I can’t carry out my duties to the best of my ability. Therefore, we have organised for my colleague here to share active duties of overlooking you with Grant while I remain doing office work. This is Melinda May; be sure to treat her with the respect you’ve shown to both Grant and myself and there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“You step out of line, you’ll regret it.” Melinda stated sternly. “Any problems and you’ll regret them exceptionally quickly.”

“Are you married?” Lance asked with a smirk. Melinda glared at him until his expression faded into one of fear.

“I’ll be in my office if circumstance requires my attention, but Melinda and Grant will be the ones you should go to first if any problems arise.” Coulson nodded and headed out.

“First thing’s first.” Melinda stated, stepping forward. “Which one of you has been sleeping here?”

Bobbi heard Lance’s voice in her head and held back a laugh. _Keep talking and the answer is me._ Then she saw Daisy go white as a sheet and remembered the truth.

“I’d hate to have to reprimand you all, so I’d appreciate someone owning up.” Melinda warned.

“Answer. Her.” Grant seethed, sending a shiver through everyone’s spine.

“Fine. It’s me, okay?” Daisy admitted reluctantly.

“Holy plot twist, Batman.” Lance whispered.

“Why do you feel the need to sleep here?” Melinda asked.

“…Because I didn’t have anywhere else to go.” Daisy said.

Everyone felt a pang of sympathy for her.

“I highly doubt that somehow.” Grant hissed. “You’ve been abusing this property.”

“You were all tasked with cleaning the toilets this morning.” Melinda revealed. “You’ll instead be cleaning them on your own while the others partake in something else. You will also no longer reside here. Understood?”

“…Yeah.” Daisy said quietly.

“She can stay with me.” Jemma announced. “No arguments this time.”

“Glad to hear it. Get to work, and the rest of you can come with me. The computer system needs some admin work doing.” Melinda announced. Daisy hurried off and away from the group while the others followed Melinda out.

Grant watched them all go; the second they were out of his sight he felt a calmness and relaxed his hands, looking down and watching as blood dripped onto the floor from where his nails had dug into his skin.

…

Grant walked out of the bathroom and inspected his hand. The blood had stopped dripping out. He made his way along the corridor and up to the small set of lockers placed against the wall. He gazed upon the middle one, noting the dents along the side – his fine work.

He didn’t take enough time to appreciate the glory he felt in the moment he’d followed Raina down the same corridor and snapped her neck as she begged for her life. The release of the rage he’d felt inside of him had given him a pleasure he’d never experienced before but yearned for again. When the opportunity came to gain his vengeance over any of those weak, pathetic children, he would take it.

He knew he needed to dispose of the body soon; he looked around to check he was alone and decided to take another look at his good work. He took a step towards the locker and pulled the door open, anticipation flowing through his veins. Power. Victory.

Anticipation returned to the all-consuming rage he’d been used to as he looked inside. Raina was gone, which could only mean someone had discovered what he could accomplish. They wouldn’t understand the power the death had given him.

He knew if it had been an adult the police would have been notified already. It had to be those kids. They had to be eradicated, and soon.

Grant smiled through the anger, knowing the moment was coming when he would feel the power taking a life had brought him once again.

…

“Funnily enough, Daisy would be the one who was best at this.” Bobbi sighed as the group all sat at a computer in the server room sorting out files and filling out online forms.

“I can always just fry all the computers?” Lincoln suggested.

“Not worth it.” Lance said. “I’d much rather do this than something that requires me to get up off my arse and move.”

“That was a really nice thing you did, Jem; offering Daisy somewhere to live.” Bobbi said.

“I just wish she’d said something sooner.” Jemma shrugged.

“It was just her pride, that’s all.” Bobbi sighed. “Understandable. We’re all human, after all.”

“Well, I’m not sure Braveheart is.” Lincoln smirked. Leo was sat away from the group at a computer in the corner, and did nothing. “You can’t have a hissy fit like you did this morning and then not show a reaction, Scotty. It’s always more fun when you act like a pussy.”

“I’m NOT a p-pussy.” Leo snapped.

“That’s a shame; that would have been the only way you’d get close to one.” Lincoln chuckled.

“Shut up.” Leo said.

“Woah, is the freak growing some balls?” Lincoln wondered.

“I’ve…I’ve always had balls, you’ve just n-never noticed them.” Leo stated.

“Well that’s the gayest thing I’ve ever heard.” Lance laughed.

“Just leave it out, yeah?” Jemma said. “Stop picking on him.”

“Oh, so now you feel guilty? Don’t act like you’ve never laughed behind his back before now. In the diner this morning you said you thought he was weird!” Lincoln laughed.

Jemma froze as Lincoln and Lance laughed and Bobbi lowered her head. She looked over and saw the look on Leo’s face; broken and hurt. She felt like crying. “I didn’t mean-”

Leo stood up from his computer. “…Y-You think I don’t know what people think of me? It’s…it’s all anyone ever thinks of me. M-My dad left when I was eleven and…and I always wondered why but…but when I see how everyone treats me…it’s obvious. It was my fault, w-wasn’t it?”

Everyone was silent. Even Lincoln’s face had dropped.

“I’m sorry that I’m not like you are. I-I don’t like the things you like. B-But we’ve all been through stuff together and I thought…I thought I finally had a chance to make some friends. Because I’ve never known what it was like to h-have any. You all h-have.” Leo continued, turning to Lincoln. “Y-You’ve just lost your best friend yet have no problem p-pushing me away.”

“Don’t you dare.” Lincoln snapped, getting up and walking up to Leo. “That’s out of line.”

“Y-You’ve been out of line since we first met. You’ve been horrible to me.” Leo quivered.

“You know why?” Lincoln asked. “Because you’re an easy target. Because you’re a freak of nature. You creep people out and the only reason any of us can stomach your presence is because we know in a few weeks we never have to see you again.”

“Lincoln…” Jemma argued.

“How about you stop blaming the world for not having friends, Braveheart, and look at yourself? Because you’re the problem, no one else. Can’t blame your dad for leaving; lucky bastard had the right idea.” Lincoln spat.

All too quickly, Leo’s fist smashed against Lincoln’s face and sent him to the floor. Before anyone could stop him, Lincoln got back up and punched him back, sending a stream of blood running out of his nose and onto the carpet.

“You piece of sh-”

“Enough!” Bobbi shouted, grabbing Lincoln’s arm as Jemma got up and rushed over to Leo.

Jemma knelt down and reached to touch Leo’s face. “Are you okay?”

Leo pushed her away. “Just leave me alone. I get the m-message.”

He vanished before their eyes and the slamming of the door was the only indication that he had left the room.

“You went way too far!” Jemma shouted as she stood up.

“Oh, don’t go acting all Little Miss Perfect now. No point being a two-faced bitch to the freak.” Lincoln seethed.

“You call me that again and I’ll hit you even harder than he did.” Jemma raged and stormed out to look for Leo.

Lincoln and Bobbi looked at each other in disapproval.

Lance whistled to fill the silence. “Bit awkward, this, ain’t it?”

…

“Leo?”

Jemma knew she shouldn’t go into the men’s bathroom, but she’d exhausted all other potential places Leo could have gone in the building. She knew him enough to know he wouldn’t leave the building until service was over for the day. Though for all she knew, she could have walked straight past him and not known he was there.

The thought made the guilt feel even heavier in her chest than ever. She didn’t mean ‘weird’ in a bad way but an interesting one, she just didn’t tell that to the rest of the group when asked.

“Leo?” She stepped further into the bathroom, but it appeared to be empty. Just as she turned to leave she heard shuffling from inside a cubicle. “Leo? Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean you were weird in that way, I meant it in an endearing way, that’s all. I should’ve made that clear but I chose not to. I can understand why you’d be angry. We’re all arseholes, aren’t we? Maybe you’re better off without us.”

She knocked on the cubicle door. “Please come out and talk. Open up.”

A moment. The cubicle door clicked as it unlocked. Jemma smiled victoriously as she cautiously pushed the door open.

She screamed as Grant stepped out and threw her against the wall before wrapping his arms around her throat.

…

“I didn’t know. About his dad.” Bobbi said sadly.

“He didn’t tell us, how could we have known?” Lincoln asked, holding his sleeve to his cheek to stop the cut he’d received from bleeding.

“Because we never let him. Whenever he did speak someone cut him off or insulted him.” Bobbi said.

“…The guy _has_ had his moments; the freezer thing was pretty clever. But he’s still not all there.” Lance shrugged.

“He’s spent every day since his dad left hating and blaming himself. If you hated yourself that much, you wouldn’t want to share yourself and be open with anyone, would you?” Bobbi posed.

Lance was silent for a moment. “…I, I guess not. No.”

“I feel awful.” Bobbi sighed. “We’ve been sharing all this burden together then forcing him to bear it on his own.”

“He’s only got himself to blame.” Lincoln said.

“The only life he’s ever known is people shitting on him. We added fuel to the fire. He’s used to loneliness but scared to let anyone in.” Bobbi said.

Lincoln shrugged. “…I guess the whole dad thing sucks. But he _is_ weird.”

“And did we _have_ to keep pointing that out?” Bobbi asked. Lincoln stayed silent.

“Look,” Lance began, “let’s just find Jemma and sort all of this mess out before –”

A deathly scream sounded in the distance. No one said anything more as they flew out of the room.

…

The world was growing dark as Grant’s grip on Jemma’s neck grew firmer and firmer. She clawed and kicked it him as he held her up against the wall, his eyes a dull black and the veins under his skin glowing red. Grant Ward was more of a monster than he’d ever been before.

Jemma’s vision began to blur. This was it. She was terrified and she was going to die. She’d be lucky to be buried in a forest next to James and Raina. Grant could kill one of her friends. He could kill Daisy or Bobbi or Leo. Her _friends_.

She thought her mind was playing tricks on her when a different cubicle door burst open and a toilet seat seemed to float towards her, slamming onto Grant’s head.

He dropped her and fell to the floor, clutching his head as blood drained from it. The seat smashed into pieces on the floor and Jemma felt a force move her towards the corner of the room. There was a warmth on her cheek; she reached for it and felt skin. Suddenly Leo faded into view before her. “A-Are you alright?”

She couldn’t muster words. She sobbed as she squeezed his hand against her cheek and nodded.

He turned away from her to face Grant, who got to his feet still clutching his bleeding scalp. He looked at Leo in utter shock; he’d seen him appear before his very eyes out of thin air.

“…The storm…” Grant groaned.

“…Y-Yeah. It wasn’t just you, you bastard.” Leo spat.

Jemma reached for Leo’s hand instinctively. Grant was still going to kill them, but she found comfort knowing she wouldn’t die alone. Leo’s grip on her hand tightened as he remained fixated on Grant.

Grant glared at the two, almost unable to comprehend what was happening. His head was thumping. If Leo had abilities…what could Jemma do? He couldn’t risk it, not yet. But he would come for them, and come for them soon.

Saying nothing, he stepped out of the room and ran off. The second he vanished Jemma’s knees gave way and she fell to the floor. Leo sank down with her. “J-Jemma?”

Jemma continued to sob as she threw her arms around Leo and cried into his shoulder. He knelt frozen in place. He wasn’t sure if anyone but his mum had hugged him before.

He tentatively wrapped his arms around her. “…It’s okay. You’re okay.”

Lincoln, Lance and Bobbi also rushed in and looked on in horror at the mess before them. They could only stare in silence as Jemma’s sobs broke their hearts.

…

“Bloody lucky he was in there after all. Doesn’t bear thinking about the alternative.” Lance said as he and Lincoln stood with Daisy in the locker room explaining what had happened. Jemma was sat at the other end of the room with Bobbi’s jacket wrapped around her and Bobbi sitting with her in supportive silence.

“He saved her life.” Daisy said. “Even after it all kicked off with you guys, he still saved her.”

“Well he wasn’t gonna just let her die, was he? He’s a bit odd, but he’s not a monster.” Lincoln said. His face sank. “Even though I let him believe he was.”

The door opened and Leo walked in solemnly.

“What happened?” Lance asked.

“…Uh, well…I told Coulson and Melinda that I slipped off a faulty toilet seat and hit my head; it bled a bit but I felt fine. They wanted to take a closer look, but…well, casual mentions of inappropriate touching turned them off the idea. I-I thought it best not to mention Grant just yet. I, uh…I wanted to see what you…you guys thought we should do.” Leo explained.

“You hit Mr Muscle the Murderer with a toilet seat. I hate to admit it but that’s kinda badass.” Lance said.

Leo smiled shyly then turned to Jemma. “Y-You okay?”

Jemma smiled and nodded.

“Leo, what you did was incredible.” Daisy said.

“Please, don’t.” Leo looked down at the floor. “Don’t pretend this changes anything. You still think…you know…”

“It changes something.” Lance stated. “It proved that we’re arseholes. And yeah, you’re pretty weird but I’ll take that over a rage-fuelled murdering probation worker any day of the week.”

“We were wrong, Leo. And we’re really sorry.” Bobbi said, looking at Lincoln. “All of us.”

Lincoln sighed and walked over to Leo. “Look, I guess I’ve been kinda close-minded and…well, a prick. And I’m sorry about all of the mean shit I’ve done. I’ll do my best to stop.”

“I…I just wanted to be your friend.” Leo announced.

“I know I took the piss, but I never hated you. If anything, I don’t deserve to be your friend. But I’d like to be.” Lincoln said, offering his hand to Leo. “The insults, the nicknames…that’s over.”

Leo smiled shyly and shook Lincoln’s hand. “I actually, um…I actually don’t mind Braveheart that much.”

Lincoln chuckled. “Braveheart it is.”

“And I’m sorry for punching you earlier.”

“Don’t be; hell of a right hook you got there.” Lincoln nodded.

“Well if Lincoln gets to have a cool nickname thing with you than I want to!” Daisy stated. “Um…you were right earlier, I don’t know your surname. What is it?”

“Fitz.” Jemma spoke up. “Leo Fitz.”

Leo smiled at her.

“Fitz…I like that. Mind if I call you Fitz?” Daisy asked.

“…Not at all.” Leo nodded happily.

“Sweet. We’re all gonna go for a drink and try and forget today. I take it you drink as well as eat food?” Daisy asked.

“Y-Yeah.” Leo nodded. “I also love that diner you went to this morning.”

Daisy grinned. “Point made. Note taken.”

“Awesome; let’s go drink Grant Ward away and deal with the bastard tomorrow.” Lance announced as everyone packed up their things and headed out. Jemma stayed behind as everyone else left and waited to be alone with Leo.

“Thank you.” She said timidly. “You saved my life.”

“Well, I dunno…” Leo blushed.

“No, you did. You’re the hero. Thank you.” Jemma smiled, kissing Leo on the cheek before heading out.

Leo watched her go with a sweet smile. Thoughts of Grant Ward and the horrors of the day faded from his thoughts as he closed his locker and followed Jemma outside. Because whatever came his way next, he knew he’d get through it.

With a little help from his friends.


	6. Flashback

Jemma ignored her mother’s calls from the other side of the bathroom door as she stood in silence in the shower, her eyes closed as she let the steaming hot water soak into her skin. She didn’t close her eyes for too long though. Every time she did all she could see was Grant’s face staring into her eyes as he’d tried to choke the life out of her.

She’d lost track of time but knew she’d been in the shower for quite a while; she was probably already late for community service. That was presumably why her mum’s voice had gotten louder with every attempt to gain Jemma’s attention.

Eventually she gave up on trying to shut out the world and stepped out of the shower, wrapping herself in a towel and opening the bathroom door to meet her mother’s disapproving gaze. “You’re going to be so late, Jemma!”

“Sorry. Lost track of time.” Jemma said.

“You’re usually so good with time keeping.” Jemma’s mother sighed. “Am I allowed to go in now?”

Jemma nodded timidly. “…Yeah…sorry.”

“Are you alright, love? You’ve been quiet the last couple of days.”

“I’m fine, mum.” Jemma stated and moved towards her bedroom door at the top of the stairs. Just as she went to reach for the handle, she heard her mother’s voice call out.

“What happened to your neck?!”

Jemma froze in shock. She’d let the towel slip down a bit and revealed the bruises on her neck Grant had left behind. Her mind filled with the memories she’d been pushing out again; the feeling of not being able to breathe, the anger and fury in Grant’s grip and in his fiery eyes.

Jemma’s mother gently touched one of the bruises, but all she could picture was Grant’s grip on it not so long ago. She panicked and pushed her mother away. “Don’t touch me!”

Jemma turned and realised far too late that she’d pushed her mother towards the edge of the stairs. She screamed in horror as she watched her mother fall down and land on the floor below with a loud bump.

“MUM!” Jemma wailed, rushing down the stairs and kneeling down, rolling her mother onto her front. She felt for a pulse. There wasn’t one. “MUM! NO! PLEASE! NO! MUM!”

As she let out a cry of sorrow, the world around her seemed to stop as if someone had paused a video game. She couldn’t explain it, but she felt out of place; disconnected to the rest of the world somehow. Suddenly, everything seemed to move around her in a pace she could never keep up with, all ending with a flash of white.

“What happened to your neck?!”

Jemma froze in shock. She’d let the towel slip down a bit and revealed the bruises on her neck Grant had left behind.

But she already knew that. That had already happened, hadn’t it? Yet there she stood in front of her bedroom door with her mother shouting after her.

Her mind filled with the memories she’d been pushing out again; the feeling of not being able to breathe, the anger and fury in Grant’s grip and in his fiery eyes.

She remembered already reliving that feeling not so long ago, hadn’t she? This had all happened before. Because the next thing that happened was…

Jemma’s eyes widened as she recalled what happened next. She quickly turned around and grabbed her mother’s arm that had been reaching out to touch her neck.

“Jemma? What are you doing?” Her mother asked.

Jemma let go of her mother’s hand, the air in her lungs suddenly nearly all gone. She pulled the towel up to cover her neck. “It’s nothing, mum, I…you know how boys can be. They can get carried away…”

“Jemma Anne Simmons, I have warned you about fooling around with boys!”

“It won’t happen again, mum.” Jemma said, for some reason finding herself holding back tears. “I’m sorry.”

“…You need to hurry up and get ready, missy.” Jemma’s mother warned before heading into the bathroom and closing the door.

Jemma’s lump in her throat slowly faded as she caught her breath. What the hell just happened? She’d accidentally killed her own mother and then…she didn’t? The same event occurred twice, but the second time went differently because…because she knew what would happen otherwise. It had almost been like she –

Jemma gasped. It had almost been like she’d travelled back in time.

…

“Call me when you get this.” Coulson finished leaving a voicemail on Grant’s phone and placed his phone back in his pocket with a sigh. He turned to Melinda and shook his head. “Still not picking up. He may not be in the best of moods when he turns up, but he always has at least made it here.”

“I can handle it on my own.” Melinda stated, gesturing to Coulson’s bandaged hand following his earlier accident. “You need to keep resting up that arm.”

“Are you sure?” Coulson asked.

“I’m always sure.” Melinda nodded. They both walked up to where the group were all gathered together, Jemma only just arriving on time.

“Grant Ward has seemingly vanished into thin air, so I’ll be putting in more time into monitoring you all.” Melinda announced as the group exchanged subtle, worried glances. “I’ll be supplying you with some utensils so you can fix some of the holes in the fencing around the building. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun.”

“I’m sure.” Lance whispered.

The group were quickly given tools and sent outside to start working on the fencing. As soon as they were all alone, Jemma spoke up.

“Guys, I know what my power is.”

“Oh, for fuck sake.” Lance cursed.

“What is it?” Daisy wondered.

“I had a hell of a morning.” Jemma explained. “Mum saw the bruises on my neck and in the panic I…she, uh, she fell down the stairs and…well, it doesn’t matter. Next thing I knew, everything went crazy and the next thing I knew the whole thing was happening again so I could change things. I can go back in time.”

“Now _that_ is awesome!” Lincoln grinned.

“Yeah, I’m so happy for you.” Lance groaned.

“I’m guessing it was just the panic that set it off, and I don’t know if I can go any further back or even forward but…I can learn, right? Just like you guys all are?” Jemma speculated.

“Makes a lot of sense. We’re all still honing in on what we can specifically do.” Bobbi said.

“Not all of us.” Lance moaned. “I’m the only buggar who doesn’t know what they can do now.”

“You’ll figure it out.” Daisy stated. “We also need to decide what to do about Grant. If he’s on the run now, maybe we should tell Coulson? Or the police?”

“It could still backfire on us, though; the risks are still there.” Bobbi warned.

“Maybe we scared him off? Braveheart doing all that invisible shit must have shaken him up.” Lincoln said.

“I, uh, I doubt that will be enough to keep him away.” Leo spoke up. “He’ll be back and we have to be ready.”

“…I think we should tell Coulson and go from there.” Jemma said. “I think he’s a good man. We can trust him. And I…I don’t think I can live with just sitting by and doing nothing.”

Jemma instinctively reached up and gently touched her bruised neck.

“We can always try and find him ourselves?” Lance suggested.

“Where would we start?” Leo questioned.

“Well, I don’t know. Maybe he just fancied a night out and got wasted? He might be asleep in a kebab shop somewhere.” Lance said.

“We can’t let it escalate any more than it already has.” Bobbi said. “Jemma…Jemma could’ve been killed.”

Jemma looked at Leo and smiled. He smiled back and looked down at the floor.

“That made this whole thing actually, properly real. We have to act.” Lincoln said, a lump in his throat. “…Too many people have died already.”

“So…are we really gonna tell Coulson?” Bobbi asked.

“We don’t have to mention any powers; we can just say Grant attacked Jemma. That wouldn’t be a lie.” Daisy said. “Maybe bringing Raina into it as well isn’t the way to go.”

“Agreed.” Leo added. “We need to be smart about this.”

“If we tell him, I want to be there. Maybe I can read his thoughts and see what he’s thinking?” Bobbi suggested.

“Jemma is the one who went through what she went through.” Lincoln said, turning to Jemma. “It should be up to you.”

Jemma was silent for a moment, the memories of Grant’s fury running through her veins. “I…I just need this feeling to stop. I want to tell him.”

…

Coulson listened to Jemma and Bobbi’s story in silence and with his full unwavering attention. He stayed quiet as Jemma showed him the bruises on her neck and as Bobbi vaguely mentioned how the storm may have altered his brain chemistry; something convoluted no one could really understand and with no mention of powers or murders. Naturally.

An eerie silence filled the room for a long while.

“…We’ll contact the police. They can start a manhunt. I wish you’d come to me sooner.” Coulson said eventually.

Relief flowed through Jemma and Bobbi. “Thank you.”

“Grant…he hasn’t been himself lately. I tried to blind myself from it but…this is just too much. I…I’m so sorry that I let this happen to you. I’ve let you down as your probation worker.” Coulson sighed.

“It’s not our fault, Coulson. Honestly.” Jemma stated firmly.

“We just want Grant to be found and stopped so he can’t hurt anyone else.” Bobbi said.

Coulson nodded. “Me too. Thank you for being so brave and bringing this to me. Melinda and I will sort this. I imagine the police will want statements from you all.” Coulson explained.

“We understand that.” Bobbi nodded.

“Okay. I’ll get Melinda and the rest of you just wait around, okay? We’ll move the other jobs we had planned for you for another day. Hopefully we can get the police here as soon as possible.” Coulson said.

With that, Coulson rushed off to find Melinda while Jemma and Bobbi returned to the group, who were all waiting in the locker room after finishing the breakages in the fencing.

Lance got to his feet. “Well?”

“They’re gonna call the police and set up a manhunt; they’ll probably get statements from us as well.” Bobbi revealed.

“…This just got so fucking real.” Lincoln sighed.

“Did we do the right thing?” Daisy asked.

“I…I don’t know.” Jemma said nervously. Bobbi tentatively placed a supportive hand on Jemma’s shoulder.

“We did. I heard Coulson’s thoughts after we’d told him. He believed every word without question. Almost scarily so. He’s genuine.” Bobbi explained.

“Thank god for that.” Leo sighed with relief.

“Someone’s getting very good with the mind reading.” Lance smirked at Bobbi.

“Please, I’ve always been able to read men.” Bobbi smiled back and Lance chuckled lightly.

“Is that so?” Lance folded his arms. “Go on then, what am I thinking right now?”

“Do I even need to think about it?” Bobbi grinned.

“Okay, when you two have stopped flirting I’d like to go back to Jemma being freakin’ Doctor Who.” Daisy exclaimed.

“He’s actually called the Doctor, not Doctor Who. And it’s his ship that travels in time, not the Doctor himself.” Leo pointed out.

“He’s quite right.” Jemma added. Leo smiled.

“Fine, whatever. So what exactly do you think triggered it?” Daisy asked.

“Well, I…I was thinking of what Grant did to me and then my mum touched me and it all overwhelmed me and then…yeah.” Jemma explained timidly.

“So maybe when bad shit happens you channel that and it activates your power?” Leo speculated.

“That’s a good theory.” Jemma said. “And since I’m interested in science and discovery…I feel that I need to continue experimenting with it.”

“Jem, I don’t know about that just yet. Indulging in bad memories doesn’t sound like the best idea right now, take some time. We’ve all been through a lot, but you -” Daisy began.

“-I’d prefer to throw myself into it. Even if I cry my eyes out.” Jemma said firmly.

“M-Maybe it’s healthier to focus on others first, give yourself some time to process your own stuff.” Leo suggested.

“Fitz is right.” Bobbi said. “It could work on others too, the way my powers do. If we focus on all our thoughts maybe you can pick up on them?”

“I, uh…it’s worth a try, I suppose.” Jemma agreed.

“Well, if you can travel back to or at least glimpse the past and or future, I wanna have a go.” Lincoln said, standing close to Jemma and staring at her intently.

“Maybe tone down the angry eyes a tad.” Jemma suggested.

“Sorry.”

“Right.” Jemma nodded, looking intently at Lincoln for a long while, wiggling her fingers at her sides as she tried to concentrate. “I’m not getting anything.”

“Well, you did say it didn’t happen until you were touched, so…?” Leo noted.

“Good point.” Jemma said, tentatively reaching out and touching Lincoln’s shoulder.

“Can I make an inappropriate foreplay joke?” Lance asked.

“No.” Everyone said in unison.

After another moment of silence, Jemma huffed. “Still nothing.”

“Maybe the memory just wasn’t powerful enough?” Daisy said.

“Oi! It was the happiest I’d ever been. Thought it’d be like Peter Pan, happy thoughts and shit.” Lincoln protested.

“Well you nailed the ‘shit’ part.” Lance smirked.

“I think bad memories have a better chance of working since it was a trauma that activated Jemma’s powers initially.” Bobbi said.

“Then try it out on Lance, he’s a miserable bastard.” Lincoln chuckled. Leo chuckled until a glare from Lance silenced him.

“You’re a prick, but you’re correct.” Lance shrugged, walking up to Jemma. “Give it a go. I’ll do my best to remain melancholy.”

“Alright then.” Jemma nodded and placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder.

Silence. Then a flash of light.

“NO!” Jemma exclaimed suddenly. In less than a second she’d somehow fallen to the floor, her arms holding her upright. Her eyes were filled with tears, cheeks soaked and reddened.

“What the hell?” Leo jumped.

“How did you get there?” Daisy asked.

“I…it worked.” Jemma whispered. “I went back…I saw…”

Jemma stared at Lance as the tears continued to flow. He’d gone pale, tears stinging his eyes too as he looked down at her.

“…and then I came back here. Now.” Jemma finished.

“Holy shit…that must have been one hell of a memory, Lance.” Lincoln said.

“…Yeah. S-Sorry, Jemma.” Lance said quieter than he’d ever said anything and left the room. Everyone watched him go in stunned silence.

…

Jemma quickly hurried after Lance, leaving everyone else alone with their thoughts. They were all silent for a while.

“So…what do you think Jemma saw? She looked broken.” Daisy observed.

“So did Lance. Whatever that memory was, he…wow. I didn’t think he had that side to him.” Bobbi said.

“We all go through some bad shit that stops us appreciating the good shit.” Lincoln said. “You know what Lance is like; he’ll be back to his annoying self in a bit.”

“Pretending like nothing even happened.” Leo added with a brief smile.

 _Bloody hell, I think I actually kinda respect the prick._ Bobbi heard Leo’s voice in her head and smiled to herself.

The door opened lightly and Coulson walked in. “The police are here and they want statements from all of…where are Jemma and Lance?”

…

Jemma found Lance sat on the roof, sat on a wooden deckchair he’d put there a week ago but refused to reveal how he’d come to possess it. It didn’t take long for him to notice her there as she approached him.

“You found me quick.” Lance sighed.

“This is where we all go when we need a minute.” Jemma said.

“True.” Lance nodded. “…I’m sorry you had to see that. I tried to think of other memories but it kept coming back to that.”

“We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Jemma revealed.

Lance turned around to face her. “I’m always okay. The King of Okay.”

“Quite right.” Jemma smiled, placing a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “I’m just…I’m really sorry you went through that.”

Lance’s eyes grew sad with memory. “Yeah.”

Jemma knelt down by Lance and looked out at the view of the nearby river. “It really is a lovely view. Peaceful.”

“It is.”

“…I didn’t have many friends at school, you know. Like Leo, but I tried not to make it look obvious. I’d just float around and pretend there were people who cared; no one was interested in the ‘teacher’s pet’. They didn’t see me…they looked right through me. So I made sure to always take notice of everything and everyone so no one felt like I did. I even tried with Leo for the first few weeks we were here. I’d spend my lunch break watching everyone play outside on the playground or just staring out the window at the view like we are now. It’s nice to have friends now. I’d like to think after this is all over and Grant is stopped…we’ll still be friends. All of us.” Jemma revealed.

“…I’d like that too. I guess you lot aren’t that bad. Even Fitz.” Lance admitted. “Tell anyone I said that and I’ll have to push you off this roof.”

Jemma chuckled. “Your secret’s safe with me; you’re not entirely an arse. So, um…look, this whole power business…it’s confusing and there’s still so much to finesse and understand but…we can try again if you wanted? I changed what happened with my mum, maybe I can go back and -”

“-No. Thanks, but no. She…she wouldn’t want me to.” Lance said sadly.

…

Eventually, Jemma and Lance returned to the group to find Lincoln, Leo and Daisy laughing with each other.

“You did not!” Daisy chuckled.

“He cheated, fair and square!” Lincoln argued with a grin.

“Not much of an excuse to break the bloke’s arm.” Leo laughed.

“I disagree.” Lincoln smirked, noticing the others. “Hey…all good?”

Lance smiled. “Always. What are you twats laughing about?”

“We just got to reminiscing. Lincoln broke a guy’s arm for cheating at a football game, bearing in mind they were eight years old at the time…and Fitz once walked in on his mum and her ‘friend’ -”

“-Please stop, it’s embarrassing enough to relive it the first time I told you.” Leo cringed.

“Yeah, sorry about that Fitz, but your mother and I love each other. Up for anything, that one.” Lance joked.

“Piss off.” Leo sighed as Coulson came back into the room with Bobbi, who’d finished giving her statement.

“Jemma, they’d probably like to talk to you next.” Coulson said and Jemma nodded.

“Want anyone to come with you?” Daisy asked a nervous Jemma.

Jemma shook her head. “I’ll be okay. I’m the Queen of Okay.”

She looked at Lance and smiled before heading out with Coulson.

“I agree, Fitz.” Bobbi smirked as they watched Jemma go. “She _is_ a hell of a woman.”

Leo went bright red. “Don’t do that!”

“Can’t help it.” Bobbi shrugged with a laugh.

“I think we’re all pretty brilliant, if you ask me.” Daisy stated. “Think about what we’ve been put through since that frickin’ storm.”

“And it’s not over yet, baby doll.” Lance groaned. “Right you lot, let’s go to the vending machine before they call me in.”

“You actually brought money this time? You know they fixed the machine; shaking it won’t work anymore.” Lincoln said.

“I know they did, the bastards. But we haven’t tried _five_ people shaking it, have we? Come on.” Lance grinned and hurried out. Everyone rolled their eyes and hurried off after him anyway.

…

Jemma heard laughter in the distance as she headed down the corridor with Coulson; turning back, she saw the others all hurrying down the corridor in pursuit of Lance. Her heart lifted. It had been a hell of a day and was not going to get easier, but she knew in time she’d be okay. Especially when she could just turn around and see her friends getting by and being okay too.

Maybe they could just be okay together.


	7. Until Proven Guilty

“You come here often, then?”

Lance looked to his right to see a pretty young woman leaning against the bar smiling at him. He’d gotten pretty good at tuning his hearing when it came to trying to hear what people were saying in clubs through the booming music over time. It was rare he wouldn’t spend a few hours in a bar or club a few times a week. Alcohol was the main thing getting him through everything that had happened since the storm. Not that he had any powers to deal with like the others, though, a fact that still drove him crazy.

“Practically live here.” Lance grinned as he took another sip of beer.

“Do you, uh…do you wanna buy me a drink?” The young woman smiled.

“Not really.” Lance shrugged. “More money to spend on myself that way.”

He didn’t feel like he deserved a slap, but he got one anyway and shrugged it off, finishing his pint as the young woman strutted off calling him all sorts of names. She seemed nice enough, and if it had been a few weeks ago he’d have bought her that drink, but after everything that had happened he’d come to realise what really mattered in life. Himself.

Well, he supposed his friends and family too, but one must look after oneself.

He didn’t really believe that, of course. He only really acted vain and self-absorbed to keep people from getting emotionally attached to him or him to them. It was better for everyone that way. He never saw the point in wanting to be remembered when you were gone; you wouldn’t be around to see your legacy no matter who you were. Lance felt wanting to be remembered was selfish in a way; wanting the people you love to suffer over your absence.

The more he thought about it, the more he figured he was just a cynical bastard who got too deep when he was drunk. Deep down he knew the truth; he tried to convince himself legacies meant nothing because he’s terrified he won’t have one when his life is done. With Grant on the loose and almost certainly coming back for him and his friends, he might not have much time to forge one. He hadn’t really done anything in his life; nothing he thought counted, anyway. He still didn’t even have any bloody powers he could use to make a difference in the world.

Why only him? He was the only one who didn’t know what he could do out of the group! Just his bloody luck that he has the power for greatness locked away inside yet no idea how to access it. Maybe he’d drowned his powers out of his body with alcohol. If so, the damage had already been done.

He ordered another beer.

…

“Good morning, my fellow delinquents.” Lance smiled as he walked into the locker room rubbing his eyes.

“It’s nearly 1pm. We’re on our lunch break.” Daisy said.

“Is it?” Lance checked his watch. “Shit.”

“How did you not realise? Just look at the position of the sun!” Jemma exclaimed.

“I was always told to not like at the sun, Jemma. Shame on you.” Lance smirked. “I take it you covered for me?”

“We didn’t need to.” Lincoln explained. “Coulson and Melinda have been distracted with the police and their hunt for Grant. Unfortunately they’re all convinced that he won’t risk coming back here, but they don’t know how the storm affected him like we do.”

“If I’m honest, we’ve barely done any work today. I think Coulson feels bad for us.” Bobbi said.

“Well, we’ve all been through a traumatic time! He should feel bad. I’ve had to spend all my money in the pub just to get by in these past few weeks!” Lance stated.

“I think Jemma had it a bit worse.” Leo said. Jemma offered him an appreciative smile.

“It’s all subjective.” Lance shrugged. “And at least you lot have got powers to defend yourself with! I still don’t have a fucking clue.”

“Oh, really? Because you don’t mention that twenty times a day…” Daisy said.

“And we barely know how to control our abilities.” Leo added.

“Reading thoughts is hardly helpful against a beefy rage monster, is it?” Bobbi questioned.

“Well, Daisy and Lincoln have gotten pretty good, right?” Lance asked.

Lincoln shrugged. “Practice makes perfect. We’re working on a combo move.”

“Working title: Static Quake.” Daisy grinned, leaning across the room and giving Lincoln a high five.

“Well, why Blue and Yellow Ranger do their thing, let’s harness the powers we know about! We’ve gotta get prepared for Grant coming back with a vengeance!” Lance suggested.

“Excuse me, _Blue_ Ranger? I’d be Red, surely?” Lincoln argued.

“No, no, I’m Red.” Lance nodded.

“You don’t even have a power yet.” Leo said. “What if your power is, I dunno, making top tier pottery? Hardly a Red Ranger sort of skill set, is it?”

“Oh, so you wanna be the Red Ranger too, huh?” Lance folded his arms.

“No; maybe Green or Black. Mysterious.” Leo grinned excitedly.

“Please don’t write FanFiction with us as the Power Rangers.” Bobbi glared at Leo, whose grin faded.

“Bloody mind reading powers…”

“Can we stop talking about the Power Rangers? I’ve never even seen any episodes!” Daisy wondered.

Lance, Leo and Lincoln all stopped and stared at her. “WHAT?!”

“Sue me.” Daisy shrugged.

“I think I’ll have to. You’d get less for murder.” Lance said.

“And it’s not just one set of Power Rangers; there are separate series about different teams with different themes and skills.” Lincoln said. “Crap, Fitz is rubbing off on me.”

“Nerd.” Leo smiled.

“It’s okay Lincoln, come out of the nerd closet. We’ll all still love you.” Bobbi chuckled.

“I must admit, I never expected you to have that side to you.” Jemma noted.

“You don’t know _everything_ about me. I still don’t know why most of you got community service! Daisy and I fessed up, I think everyone else should too.” Lincoln said.

“All of the yes to that idea.” Daisy laughed.

“But lunch break’s over; we should report back.” Bobbi said.

“They’ll come and get us when they want us. Who’s up first?” Lincoln posed.

Silence.

“We might as well just spill the beans since I’ve just heard what Lance did anyway.” Bobbi smiled smugly, looking at Lance. “I’m learning to love my power, you know.”

“I bloody bet.” Lance groaned.

“Go on, Fitz. Kick off the proceedings.” Daisy prompted. “I’m desperate to know how you of all people ended up here. What did you do wrong?”

“Well, uh…n-nothing.” Leo shrugged.

“What an interesting story.” Lance said.

“…Fine, okay, uh…well, for a time I had a friend at school called Mack. We got along well and everything but grew apart and I got used to not having any friends. Out of the blue I got a text from him asking to meet for a drink. I got excited and dressed up and headed to the bar he’d mentioned in the message and, uh…well, he’d sent the text to me by mistake but let me stay anyway. I didn’t really say much but…well, the night carried on and Mack and his mates drank way too much and this guy Jasper started making fun of me and…and he brought up my dad and I saw red…and I punched him. A lot. And here I am.” Leo explained ashamedly.

“I thought it may have been something like that when you decked me a while back.” Lincoln winced in memory.

“I say fair play to you. I’d have thumped the prick too.” Lance stated. A small smile trickled across Leo’s face.

“Well I, to my shame, drunkenly pushed a shopkeeper into the wine aisle of her store. Smashed bottles everywhere. That bitch claimed I left her with permanent back pain but SHE started it! She gave me a judgmental look. Plus her daughter was such a hateful cow at school. That family is disgusting.” Bobbi explained.

“You’re right; that is shameful.” Lance chuckled.

“Says the guy who stole a car.” Bobbi smirked. Everyone turned to Lance and laughed.

“You stole a car?!” Leo exclaimed.

“And crashed it into a tree.” Bobbi added happily.

“Fuck you.” Lance fired at Bobbi teasingly.

“How did that even happen?” Daisy asked.

“Drinking at a club, met a girl, went back to hers, we…you know…dad came home and walked in on us, “get off my precious daughter you handsome devil” or words to that effect, I panicked and rushed out of the house desperate to get away, broke into his car, got it started and fled. Don’t drink and drive kids…as the tree found out. That fucker came out of nowhere.” Lance revealed.

“That’s hilarious.” Lincoln grinned.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Lance groaned.

“So, did we save the best for last, Jemma?” Daisy wondered.

Jemma sighed and shook her head. “I’m afraid not.”

“Go on, reveal all. How did the girl who hates breaking the rules of bloody community service end up doing it in the first place?” Lance asked.

“…Well, my friend from school was always getting into trouble. I tried to steer her onto a better path but to no avail; she got in trouble with the police so many times. She had a row with some other girl – I don’t know the exact details – and she went to her house and smashed up some windows, keyed the car door, the lot. But she’d already had such a significant criminal record she’d have been in a lot more trouble than most, so…so I took the blame.” Jemma said.

“…Wow.” Bobbi said.

“That was ridiculously nice of you.” Leo commented.

“Just setting an example, helping her see the error of her ways, I guess.” Jemma shrugged modestly.

Bobbi smiled and Jemma and turned to Lance, who had grown quiet and shut off in how he was sat. He stared at the floor in silence. She tried to read his thoughts but there seemed to be even more of a barrier up than usual, especially when it came to him.

…

Later that day, Bobbi walked up onto the roof of the building and saw Lance sitting over the edge watching the others picking up rubbish in the courtyard. The sky was filling with dark clouds as if a storm was coming. Bobbi walked closer and smiled at Lance as she sat down next to him. “I noticed you slip away a little while ago; the others seemed to not notice, they must really love picking up litter.”

“Anything that keeps their mind off of Grant, I suppose.” Lance speculated. There was a solemnness in his voice that broke Bobbi’s heart. This wasn’t the Lance she knew.

“You okay? I noticed you go quiet after Jemma told us her story earlier.” Bobbi said.

“I’m fine.” Lance said. Bobbi didn’t need to use her powers to know he was lying. After a few moments he smiled softly and looked at her. “I suppose there isn’t much point in lying to you, is there?”

“Not really, no.” Bobbi grinned. “I’m determined to solve the mystery that is Lance Hunter.”

“If you ever do, let me know. I don’t have a clue myself.” Lance sighed.

Silence.

“…Do you think there’s a chance Grant really is just gone? Or maybe the police will just catch him and that’ll be that?” Bobbi asked, looking down at the rest of the group chuckling together as they worked.

“Nah, he’ll come back for us. I think the storm took away any humanity in him, just left him a monster. Monsters always come back to haunt you.” Lance said.

Bobbi playfully nudged him. “That was quite poignant for you.”

“I have my moments.” Lance smiled slightly and Bobbi laughed. “…I, uh…my aunt died not too long ago. That’s what Jemma saw when she went back in time. She saw me finding her body in the bathroom. She lived with us. She raised me more than my mum and dad ever did.”

“…I’m so sorry.” Bobbi whispered sadly.

“…Undiagnosed heart condition of some kind. One moment she was there and then…that’s it. Gone. She could read me like a book, that woman. A bit like you, I guess.” Bobbi smiled. “She squeezed the most out of every day and yet life still ended too soon for her. She’d gone for a shower but it’d been over an hour without hearing anything so I kicked down the door and…she was just lying on the floor. I knew the second I saw her. I don’t know if she felt pain. I…I don’t know if she was scared. I don’t know if it was quick. But I know she was alone, and that’s what kills me. Jemma offered to try and go back again and save her, call an ambulance in time or something, but I knew she wouldn’t want that. She wouldn’t want me to see her like that, to see the happiest thing in my life snuffed out. When Jemma was talking about covering for her mate…she used to cover for my mum’s antics all the time. It just reminded me of her. And every time I think of her I can only picture her lying on that floor, all alone, and not knowing if she was afraid.”

Bobbi wiped the tears off her face and held Lance’s hand.

Silence for a while. “…I never thought I’d ever tell anyone all that.”

Bobbi smiled. “But you did.”

“I did.” Lance nodded. “I’ve never met anyone I felt like I could really talk to until you. All of you.” He looked at the rest of the group as they finished clearing up the litter and joked around together. “I don’t know when Grant’s gonna come for us, but I know I’ll try and stop him with all I can muster. I’ll protect that lot until my dying breath.”

Bobbi let another tear fall. “Me too.”

“And if it does cost my life, then that’s okay…it means I can see Aunt Clara again.”

Bobbi looked at Lance and smiled. “…I know you don’t have your powers yet, but I think you’re just as super as the rest of us.”

“I always thought that having powers would finally make me somebody special.”

“You already are. And maybe you can’t save her life, but maybe you should try and change _something_. Just something to help the both of you.”

Lance’s eyes stung with tears. “Like what?”

“…Maybe she had to die, Lance, but she doesn’t have to die alone.”

…

Lance asked Jemma to stay after everyone else had been sent home, and told her what he wanted her to do. She agreed to try her best, holding out her hand. Lance took it and closed his eyes, letting himself feel all the pain and rage for the first time since that horrible day.

In a flash of light, he was back there, in that bathroom. Tears fell as he saw Clara lying on the bathroom floor, lying away from him. He stood there frozen until Jemma grabbed his hand, having been stood at his side.

“Go to her. Help her.”

Lance looked at Jemma and said nothing as he rushed towards his aunt and knelt down next to her, tears streaming down his face.

“…L-Lance?”

“I’m here. I’m here. It’s okay. You’re…y-you’re not alone.” Lance whispered, stroking Clara’s hair.

Clara smiled softly. “…Lance…”

“I love you, Aunt Clara.” Lance cried.

“I love you.” Clara whispered, holding Lance’s hands with her own. She looked up at him, the smile still on her face as if the pain had been wiped away.

And then she was gone.

Lance kissed the top of Clara’s head and held her one last time. “Goodbye. Goodbye.”

It had been quick. She wasn’t in pain. She wasn’t alone.

She wasn’t alone.

Lance looked back and saw Jemma stood there, tears in her eyes but a smile on her face.

The darkest day Lance had ever known, but Clara hadn’t been alone.

And neither was he.

…

Bobbi answered her door late that night and saw Lance stood there, his face still fresh from recently dried tears.

“…How did it go?” She asked.

Lance said nothing as he stepped inside, pulled Bobbi close and caressed her lips with his. There was pain and sorrow behind it, but there was also fire.

Their lips parted, and he remained silent as he turned away and walked out back into the street and out of view.

Bobbi watched him go with no air in her lungs but a sweet smile on her face.

…

Grant kicked down the back door of the community centre and made his way inside, deep into the heart of the building. His eyes blood red, his fingers claws, bones protruding from his skin, his rage beyond belief.

When they came tomorrow, he would be waiting.


	8. We Can Be Heroes

“Morning, dickheads.” Lance smirked as he walked into the locker room and got changed into his jumpsuit. He smiled briefly at Bobbi. “Hi.”

“Hi.” She echoed quietly, with a small smile.

“You seem in a good mood.” Lincoln noted.

“As it happens, I am. I feel free as a bird; no weight on my shoulders. Nothing’s gonna bring me down.” Lance smiled.

It was then that Melinda came crashing through the window and onto the floor, cut and bruised all over.

“Holy shit!” Daisy yelped. Bobbi rushed to Melinda’s aid and helped her up.

“You kids need to run. Just run.” Melinda ordered.

“But what the hell was that about? You flew through a fucking window!” Lance exclaimed.

“We need to get out.” Melinda whispered, a fear in her eyes none of them had seen before. She could hardly stand and winced with every moment, no matter how small.

“But what-?”

Jemma’s question was cut up by a large mass filling the space where the window had been. Everyone froze at the sight. Grant Ward stood before them, they knew that much, but his body had been as warped as his mind; his flesh was cracked and raw, bones sticking out of his back, his hands enlarged and with razor sharp claws. His eyes were as red as freshly spilled blood. He was hardly human anymore. It was a monster.

It screamed and the room shook, dust raining down from the ceiling.

“RUN!” Lincoln shouted as he shot a bright white beam of electricity at Grant, sending the beast stumbling back. Daisy sent a shockwave towards it and it flew across the corridor and smashed open the wall on the opposite side.

Everyone ran. They kicked open the door and flooded out.

“Split up!” Leo suggested as the group dispersed. Lincoln scooped a now unconscious Melinda up in his arms and rushed out with Bobbi right behind him. Jemma rushed towards the computer room, hoping to hide under one of the desks. She was too scared to look back and see where everyone else had gone.

Grant – or at least the monster that he now was – roared once again. It got back to its feet and truly began its hunt.

…

Bobbi leaped into a storage cupboard after Lincoln, who placed Melinda gently down onto the floor. He grabbed the door handle and sent a jolt of electricity through it until it glowed red hot and started to melt slightly.

“I didn’t know you could do that.” Bobbi whispered.

“Neither did I.” Lincoln shrugged. “Fucking glad I can.”

“Is she alright?” Bobbi asked, leaning down to check on Melinda.

“Still passed out. From the shock or the pain, I don’t know.” Lincoln replied, dragging boxes in front of the door to block it.

“Maybe we shouldn’t have hid somewhere with no other exit.” Bobbi sighed.

“Fuck. Good point. But too late.” Lincoln said. “Can you do your power thing? Try and read it’s thoughts and see if it’s close by?”

“I’ll try, hang on.” Bobbi nodded, walking up to the door and closing her eyes. After a few moments she jumped back with a gasp.

“Did you get anything?”

Bobbi looked shaken. “It was just saying ‘kill’. Over and over. I don’t think there’s anything rational or human left of him.”

“…He seemed kind of a dick before the storm, but…that could have been one of us, you know. None of this is even his fault.” Lincoln sighed.

“I know, but we have to find a way of stopping him regardless. It’s him or us. He’s already killed Raina. We lost your friend James too. We’re not losing anyone else.” Bobbi stated.

Lincoln looked pained; clearly hearing James’ name still brought about a hurt inside him he never had the time to process. “Right. So what do we do? We should call someone.”

“We left all our phones in our lockers once we put these fucking things on.” Bobbi sighed, pulling the sleeve of her jumpsuit. “Maybe we should have stuck together, worked it out as a team.”

“They’re gonna be fine. I know they are. Think of all we’ve been through in such a short space of time. We’re strong; all of us. We’ll find a way.” Lincoln said, but Bobbi could hear the thoughts running through his head. He was just as scared and unsure as she was.

…

Jemma swore quietly as she realised she’d left her phone in her locker. She was tucked away under one of the desks in the computer room, right in the corner as tightly as she could fit herself. She was petrified.

This was it. This was how she was going to die. She’d never see her family again. She’d never have a lazy day in bed again. She’d never see the Great Wall of China. She’d never hug someone again. She’d never know what it was like to be in love. She’d never kiss a boy and actually have meaning behind it. She’d never grow old.

The room grew dimmer and she felt tears stinging her eyes. She knew it must be Grant blocking the door to the room and stopping any light from getting in. She tried and tried to go back in time and find a new place to hide, but she still hadn’t really mastered it yet. Now she never would.

The door made a crash as Grant kicked it off its hinges and sent it flying across the room. Jemma held her breath; maybe she could just suffocate before it got to her and caused her any pain.

She felt herself shaking all over as the creature that was Grant Ward stalked around the room, talon-like claws where toes used to be cutting through the expensive shoes Grant had liked to wear. She could feel every step it took like a blow to the head.

Silence.

Jemma opened her eyes and screamed as she was met with the ferocious glare of the creature leaning under the desk. It grabbed her leg and dragged her across the room. It felt like her skin was burning to the touch of his grasp. She kicked and screamed but the monster was too strong. It threw her against the wall, her tears only ceasing because the air had been knocked out of her.

The beast tore a leg off one of the desks and wielded it like a bat as it slowly approached Jemma and raised it high into the air. It stood above her and looked down at her, slimy residue dripping from its mouth onto her shoulder.

Jemma closed her eyes and apologised to her mum and dad for the pain they’d have to endure over her loss. She hoped her friends were still okay, and that she was the only one who was going to die today.

A high-pitched shriek coming from the creature made her open her eyes; they widened at the sight of every computer, one by one, floating up into the air and soaring towards the monster, knocking it to the floor with every hit.

She stood up and moved to the other side of the room as the final computer lifted into the air. Jemma couldn’t help but smile.

The creature didn’t. It screamed as it jumped across the room to the floating computer and swung at it with its muscular arm. The computer fell to floor with a thump as Jemma felt the impact of something hitting the wall next to her. Before she knew it, Leo faded into view, blood dripping from his nose as he stood up and turned to her.

“You alright?”

“You’re hurt.” Jemma said, reaching out to touch his face.

For a moment, they’d forgotten where they were. They ducked as the creature began picking up desks and throwing them towards them. They took hands as they headed for the door; just as Jemma got out she felt Leo’s hand let go of hers with force. She turned back to see the monster holding Leo up in one arm and clenching a splintered piece of wood in the other.

“LEO!” Jemma screamed as the monster plunged the spear of wood through Leo’s heart. “NO!”

A flash a white light surrounded her as a dizziness came over her. The next thing she knew she was back in the room, running for the door with Leo’s hand in hers as they dodged the desks the monster was throwing. She smiled. A second chance.

She turned and saw the monster jump across the room ready to grab Leo and take him away from her. Instinct made her grab the fire extinguisher mounted on the wall and throw it at the creature; it roared as it fell back to the floor and crashed into the wall.

They ran out the room and down the corridor, their hands still entwined.

“That was bloody quick thinking.” Leo commented, somehow enjoying the thrill of their life-or-death situation.

Jemma stopped, looked at Leo and threw her arms around him. Bewildered, he put his arms around her before a scream from the creature threw them apart and sent them running down the corridor again.

The creature watched Leo and Jemma run and started sprinting towards them until a nearby voice halted it. It turned around to see Lance stood at the other end of the corridor.

“Come and get me, you ugly prick.” Lance grinned and ran off.

The creature, blinded by its rage, followed its prey with intent.

…

Lance ran down the corridor towards the entrance where Daisy was waiting to put their plan into action. They could have just got out of the building there and then, but they knew they had to try and save their friends.

They’d managed to get to the kitchen to hide when they first split off from the others, deciding to arm themselves with old knives as weapons. Soon enough, they came up with a plan; take apart the kitchen doorframe, use the knives to sharpen the pieces into spears, lure Grant towards them and then when he least expected it, they’d plunge the spears straight through him like the world’s ugliest kebab. Problem solved.

Lance rushed around a corner where Daisy was positioned against the wall, giving him one of the spears as they braced themselves for Grant to turn the corner. They could hear the pounding of footsteps approaching them. Daisy looked at Lance and nodded; he nodded back. This was it.

The footsteps grew muffled and then silent. Lance could hear his heart pounding.

“Where the fu-?” Daisy began.

The wall next to them burst open as the creature tackled them both to the floor. Daisy sent shockwaves at it, but the creature endured through them, picking Daisy up and slamming her into the lockers on the other side of the corridor. She fell to the floor, unconscious.

Lance froze as he looked up at the creature, unable to comprehend that only a few weeks ago it was just a normal man. An absolute prick, but a man.

“I’m sorry.” Lance whispered as he stared into Grant’s red eyes. “I’m sorry this is what it did to you.”

As he saw what Grant had become, he was glad he didn’t have any powers. He watched as the monster picked up one of the spears and raised it into the air. Lance took a deep breath, savouring every moment of it, for he knew it would be his last.

As the creature threw it’s arm down, one of the locker doors flew open and Coulson rushed out, holding his arm out in the spear’s path.

“Coulson, NO!” Lance screamed. The sharp end of the spear collided with Coulson’s arm.

And broke in shreds.

Lance’s jaw hit the floor as Coulson punched the monster and sent it flying to the floor. Another shockwave from Daisy, who had regained consciousness, seemed to knock it out.

“Are you okay?” Coulson asked, pulling Lance to his feet. “Heard the commotion and thought I’d better hide. Worked out kinda well, huh?”

“What the fuck?!” Lance exclaimed. “You…you’re…? What?”

“Why do you think I was so quick to believe the storm had changed Grant? It…it changed me too. Didn’t realise it until I got hit by the car, remember? Broke my arm, had it put in a sling and when I woke up the next day, it had healed completely. I only kept the sling on to avoid suspicion. My skin…it’s impenetrable now. And I can heal quickly. It’s…it’s mad. And I see you have powers too.” Coulson explained, turning to Daisy.

“Coulson, you’re a badass.” Daisy smiled. “And yeah, we all have powers.”

“Except me, of course.” Lance groaned.

“Well, at least that doesn’t make me feel quite so…odd. Explains a hell of a lot about all of you. I thought you were all just weird.” Coulson said.

“Oh, we are. Totally. But we have powers too.” Daisy smirked.

Coulson looked at the unconscious monster on the floor. “This is a really weird day. Where are the others, are they alright? And Melinda?”

“We split up when Grant attacked us. We don’t know where they are.” Lance explained.

“We need to find them, but stay together.” Coulson stated. “I’m sorry you’ve been dragged into all of this.”

“Our own actions brought us all there the day of the storm, there’s nothing to apologise for.” Daisy said. “Maybe it was, like, destiny.”

“Give me a break. We were fucking unlucky, that’s all there is to it.” Lance sighed.

…

Leo kicked the door open as he and Jemma ran out the fire exit into the fresh, open air.

“We can’t just leave them all in there!” Jemma argued.

“Lance distracted Grant so we could escape; we just did what he wanted us to do. We’re not gonna leave them. Besides, now we can call the police.” Leo said, holding up the phone he held in one hand, having grabbed his phone from his locker on the way out.

“Okay, okay…” Jemma gasped, tired out from so much running. “I, uh…I never thanked you before. For saving my life. Again. You’re making a habit of that, not that I’m complaining.”

“Well, I, uh…you saved mine back with the whole fire extinguisher thing, so…” Leo mumbled modestly.

“Only because I’d gone back in time and seen it kill you.” Jemma admitted.

Leo’s face went white. “Oh…wow. And that was enough to activate your power?”

“Well, you’re stood here talking to me, so I’d be inclined to say yes.” Jemma nodded.

“Oh. Uh, cool.”

“Using your powers or not, you’ll never be invisible to me.” Jemma smiled. Leo smiled back, red-faced.

The fire exit burst open again and relief filled Leo and Jemma as Daisy, Lance and Coulson poured out and joined them. Daisy ran into Jemma’s arms while Lance gave Leo a pat on the back.

“Coulson’s got powers too. Impenetrable skin.” Daisy explained.

“Explains the balding, I guess; the hair can’t get through your scalp.” Lance said.

“That was happening before the storm.” Coulson sighed.

“I know, I’m just an arsehole.” Lance smirked.

“An arsehole without any powers.” Leo grinned as Lance gave him the finger. “Where are the others?”

“We looked around but couldn’t find them. Probably hid away somewhere.” Coulson revealed. “Has anyone called for help?”

“On it now.” Leo said, dialling his phone and holding it up to his ear. “Hello, we need the poli-”

An almighty crash blocked out Leo’s words as the monster that was once Grant Ward blew open the wall with a piercing screech. It collided with the pavement, sending Daisy and Jemma flying across the courtyard and crashing into some benches, where they remained unconscious. With its clawed hands, it grabbed Lance and Leo by their shirts and leaped onto the roof of the building.

“GRANT, STOP!” Coulson shouted, but his words were useless.

The creature threw the boys across the roof and leaped after them, cutting down Leo’s arm with a sharp nail and slamming Lance onto the gravelly surface.

“It’s over Grant, just stop. People are coming for you.” Lance said, looking down to see Coulson on the phone, managing to call the police using the phone Leo had dropped. “There’s no point in running. You can’t blame us for what happened to you, but we know it wasn’t your fault either. Even if you were a bit of a dick before all of that.”

“Wouldn’t have said that last bit, myself.” Leo whispered.

“And maybe we’re not the most likable bunch of people, either, but that’s the point! We’re young! We’re supposed to drink too much. We’re supposed to have bad attitudes and shag each other’s brains out. We are designed to party. This is it. Yeah, so a few of us will overdose or go mental. But Charles Darwin said you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. And that’s what it’s all about, breaking eggs! And by eggs, I mean sex, drugs, and rock and roll. We’re screw-ups, Grant, that’s why we’re all here. I’m a screw-up and I plan to be a screw-up until my late 20s, maybe even my early 30s. And maybe you didn’t deserve to be lumbered with us lot, and you certainly didn’t deserve this…but surely the fact that you’re listening to me rather than cutting my head off or whatever you were planning on doing shows that there’s still some of you in there? It isn’t too late. The storm changed you, but you don’t have to let it. Hell, I didn’t. Mainly because it didn’t give me any bloody powers. But you get what I mean. Just say no. Be human like the rest of us. Tell that storm to fuck off. What do you say?” Lance asked.

“That was a really good speech.” Leo whispered.

“Thanks, Fitz.” Lance nodded, still staring into the monster’s red eyes.

The monster opened its mouth as if to speak…and let out a loud roar in Lance’s face.

“We were too late to save you, and I’m sorry about that. I really am. We’ve been through a lot of shit these past few weeks, but I think you’ve suffered most of all. You’re beyond humanity, aren’t you mate? I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But it’ll be over soon.” Lance said, running up to Grant and kicking him off the edge of the roof, where a spiked metal fence that surrounded the building waited below.

Grant wailed as it fell. Lance turned to Leo with a victorious grin, only stopping when he felt a small tug. He looked down at his arm and saw his shirt was caught on one of the bones protruding Grant’s back. His eyes widened as Leo ran for him, screaming his name.

Knowing Leo wouldn’t reach him in time, he just smiled. He thought of Leo’s smile when he’d first called him his friend. He thought of his aunt’s smile as she realised she wasn’t dying alone. He thought of Bobbi’s smile when he’d first seen her that morning. He fell and closed his eyes.

Leo screamed while Coulson stood frozen in shock as Grant and Lance fell onto the fence, metal bars piercing through their chests. They both went still.

Lincoln and Bobbi dragged Melinda outside some time later after hearing nothing for a while. They fell to their knees as they saw everyone sat in silence as two body bags were loaded into a van, police everywhere. They couldn’t see Grant anywhere, and they couldn’t see Lance either.

It started to rain.

…

By the time the police had gotten to the scene, Grant had looked like Grant again, his shredded clothes the only signs of what the storm had slowly transformed him into. After taking statements from everyone, they’d concluded that he’d murdered Lance and then himself.

Lance’s funeral was a quiet affair; not many people came. If the group, Coulson and Melinda hadn’t attended, only five or six people would have come. No one was even sure what Lance’s parents looked like so didn’t know if they were even there or not.

They all stood in silence at his grave for quite some time. When they decided to have a drink in his name at the pub, Bobbi told them she’d catch them up. They left her alone while she cried some more before eventually joining the others.

“To Lance.” Lincoln said solemnly as everyone raised their glass and sipped their drinks.

Leo gently nudged Bobbi, and she looked at him. _I’m sorry I wasn’t fast enough to save him._

Bobbi placed her hand over Leo’s and shook her head, telling him it wasn’t his fault.

“I know in the grand scheme of things it hasn’t been that long…” Daisy sniffed through another wave of tears. “…but I love you guys.”

“Lance did too.” Bobbi whispered. When she’d heard him think it the week before she’d kept quiet to avoid embarrassing him. Now she wish she hadn’t, because then he’d have known how loved he was too.

…

Lance woke with a start, breathing heavily.

“What the fuck?” He whispered. All he could see around him was wood. Was he still hiding from Grant? He must still be in a cupboard.

No, that can’t be right. Daisy was with him. And he remembered being outside. Grant had taken him and Leo up to the roof. Yeah, that’s right. And he’d given a kickass speech, too. And then…

Oh. And then he died.

“Oh my god…I’m immortal.” Lance whispered as a grin grew across his face. “I HAVE POWERS! I HAVE POWERS! I’M IMMORTAL!”

Then he started to get an idea of what the wood surrounding him was. He felt around and found he was lying on a soft, silky material. He bent his head down and saw he was dressed in a suit.

“I’m in a coffin.” Lance whispered. “I’m in a fucking coffin!”

He started banging anywhere and everywhere, kicking and screaming. “HELLO? HELLO? I’M ALIVE! I can’t bloody believe this! You FUCKERS! LET ME OUT! Just my bloody luck. And I don’t even own a suit, whose was this? Did they bury me in some other fucker’s used suit?”

Lance groaned and punched the side of the coffin again. “I’m all for having a nice nap, but this is taking the piss!”

He kicked and screamed some more. Why had he grown so fond of those fellow misfits? Did they even check he was dead properly? What a bunch of pricks.

“YOU BURIED ME ALIVE, YOU DICKS!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And thus, we come to the end of our first little story arc, but there's more to come. Hope you enjoyed!


	9. The Man In The Mask

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I'm not dead (and neither's Lance, obviously)! So I had an operation I had to recover from, uni work to do and all sorts of personal troubles to deal with but I'm going to try and keep this story going from now on! Thanks for your patience and enjoy!

“Welcome back, everyone. I know we’ve all been through…well, a bit of a hard time, but things can start getting back to normal now. Well, as normal as they can be. Even so, in three weeks you’ll all be free to live the rest of your lives again.” Coulson explained warmly.

After everything with Grant and Lance, the group had been given a few days off their community service to process all that had happened. Now, they were ready to finish their last three weeks of service and enjoy their freedom.

“I understand everything’s still raw, it is for me too, but…we need to be bigger than what we suffer. For Lance’s sake. We’ll just start with some litter picking in the town centre this morning; I’ll come and collect you in a few minutes.” Coulson smiled timidly before walking out of the locker room, where the group had been listening in silence.

“…I, uh…I…I don’t know where I was going with that sentence.” Lincoln said eventually to fill the quietness.

“I know…I said more in the womb than I’ve said in the last few days.” Daisy said.

“It’s just…it’s gonna take time.” Jemma offered.

“Let’s just get on with it. It’s all we can do.” Bobbi shrugged, standing up and heading for the door. “I’m gonna wait outside.”

Everyone watched solemnly as Bobbi walked out of the locker room.

“This has all hit her pretty hard.” Jemma observed. “I know she’s the one who can read minds but we don’t even need that ability to know what’s going on with her.”

“Were her and Lance, you know…a thing?” Daisy asked.

“I’m not sure.” Lincoln said. “He never mentioned anything to me, and I feel like if something had happened he’d have let us all know about it.”

“At least fifty times.” Leo added and everyone smiled, even if the smiles were sad ones.

“She shouldn’t be alone. Let’s go wait outside with her.” Daisy suggested and everyone nodded in agreement as they headed out. Upon opening the front doors, Bobbi was nowhere to be found.

“Well…should’ve seen that coming.” Lincoln sighed.

…

After Coulson dropped the group in the centre of town (and promised to cover for Bobbi’s absence should it prove necessary to do so), they were left to start collecting litter from the local streets and alleys.

“Fuck me, this is rank.” Lincoln gagged as he filled bag after bag of rubbish. “Do people not see the bins literally ten seconds down the road?”

“Of course they do, but they don’t want to go out of their way and put in a little bit of effort.” Jemma sighed.

“…This sucks, but it could be worse.” Leo commented. “…Do you think we should try and contact Bobbi again?”

“I think she just needs time. Besides, Coulson always confiscates our phones when we go out in the community anyway.” Daisy replied. “I think it’s another girl you should be worried about, Leo. That chick over there’s been staring at you for ages.”

A confused Leo turned around and made out a young woman leaning against the wall of a newsagent smiling in his direction. His face went white as a sheet.

“Oh, bloody hell. Someone do something. Lincoln, fry her.” Leo groaned.

“Who is it?” Lincoln asked, failing to hide his amusement.

“Blast from the past.” Leo answered.

“I thought you said you didn’t have friends back in the day?” Lincoln said.

“I didn’t. She was one of the few people in school who’d talk to me but…she got…weird. Like, stalker levels of obsessed. She baked cookies in the shape of my face and left them outside my door once.” Leo explained.

“How did they taste?” Daisy asked.

“Is that the relevant question to ask?” Jemma proposed.

“I only got rid of her when we downsized to a cheaper place where she couldn’t find me. And they were delicious, actually.” Leo shrugged. “Bloody hell, here she comes. Daisy, blast her.”

“Leo! I can’t believe it’s you!” The girl said excitedly as she ran up to Leo and the others.

“Oh…hi, Aida. Long time no see.” Leo winced.

“LOVE the orange jumpsuits! Are you all in a band or something?” Aida asked.

“Why would a band wear…? I’m uh, it’s a long story but I’m actually very busy so…” Leo began.

“I was debating even coming over to see you since it had been so long but I threw caution to the wind and ran with my emotions! You’re looking very well! Doesn’t he have the loveliest eyes?” Aida chuckled.

“Oh, the _prettiest_.” Jemma laughed in a cutesy tone Leo didn’t appreciate.

“Right?! I’ve only been working at the newsagent over there for two weeks and now I run into you after so long! I saw you through the window and I just had to see if it was you. It was never the same after you moved away – and DIDN’T TELL ME WHERE YOU WERE MOVING TO, you silly thing!” Aida explained heartily.

“How could it have slipped his mind to tell you?” Daisy grinned as Leo glared at her.

“Well, here we are – reunited at last! Are you still living locally?” Aida wondered.

“Oh, well…” Leo mumbled.

“We’re all working at the community centre on the edge of the city, actually.” Lincoln smirked. Leo stared at him disapprovingly.

“Oh, I know where that is! Maybe I could come and see you after my shift? Have a nice catch up? Or I could just tell my boss I’m not feeling well. Maybe I could quit and just work with all of you? I’ll quit, be right back.” Aida rambled, turning to rush off.

“AIDA, WAIT!” Leo shouted. “I, um…I’m actually very busy with my friends right now and, well…this just isn’t a good time. I’ve got a lot going on right now, really important stuff to deal with. I, uh…I think you should just go back and do your work while I do mine and we’ll leave it at that. You know, moving forwards…that kind of thing. Yeah?”

Aida was silent for a while. “…Okay. Of course. I…I have really important stuff to deal with too.”

Aida stared at Jemma, Daisy and Lincoln in turn. “Good day, Leopold.”

With that, she turned and walked slowly away back towards the newsagent. Leo breathed a sigh of relief. “Well that was easier than I expected.”

“She was gonna quit her job to spend more time with you, that’s hilarious.” Lincoln chuckled.

“She was a bloody nightmare, I tell you! I spent the best part of year nervous to turn any corner in case she was there with her cookies and dolls.” Leo sighed.

“Dolls?” Jemma questioned.

“She made dolls. Of me. Normal people might have teddy bears on the end of their beds. She had dolls of me.” Leo explained.

“How was the likeness?” Lincoln asked.

“Did she perfectly capture your lovely eyes?” Daisy grinned.

“You two really enjoy taking the piss, don’t you?” Leo moaned.

“Yep.” Lincoln and Daisy nodded at the same time.

“Stalkers aside, let’s just clean this place up so we can get our phones back and check on Bobbi. The sooner we do this the sooner we- who the hell is that?” Jemma asked, stepping back in shock as she pointed towards the roof of a nearby apartment building.

Leo, Lincoln and Daisy followed Jemma’s line of sight and froze. A figure stood at the top of the building, staring down at them.

“Hey, you!” Daisy exclaimed.

The figure jumped, landing gracefully onto a ledge below before leaping again. They practically flew through the air before bouncing off the walls of the building and rolling onto the ground as if it had all been the easiest thing in the world.

“Holy shit.” Lincoln whispered as the figure walked a few paces closer to them and stopped. It was clearly a man dressed all in black; leather jacket, black jeans, gloves and a hood over the top of his head, his face shielded by a jet black mask. It looked as if it had been made up of several smaller pieces welded together, with two pieces of blacked-out glass covering the eyes.

“What the hell are you looking at?” Daisy shouted argumentatively, the ground beneath her shaking slightly as her shock began to manifest through her powers.

The man in the mask unzipped his jacket and held out a small piece of white card. He let it fall to the floor before running off. Before anyone could act and give chase the man had climbed up the side of another building with immense skill and vanished out of sight.

“What the hell was that all about?” Jemma wondered.

“Who was that? That was like, ninja level skill.” Leo said. “I’d be pissed off if I weren’t so impressed.”

Lincoln hurried over to where the masked man had dropped the card and picked it up as the others joined him.

“What is it?” Jemma asked. Lincoln looked confused as he handed the card to Jemma. In a thick marker pen, the card had left them a message from the man in the mask.

_GO TO HIS GRAVE. BRING SHOVELS._

…

Bobbi had been sat by Lance’s grave for quite some time, though she wasn’t sure of any specifics. She’d felt this aching need to get out of that community centre and just get away from everyone else. The more time she spent staring at Lance’s name on the gravestone, the more she hoped it would eventually sink in that he was really gone.

She thought about that night before he died when he knocked on her door and kissed her. They never really got any time to talk about that. They both thought they’d have all the time in the world. She’d spent the first few weeks knowing him ignoring his sarcastic comments and rolling her eyes at everything he did, but now she knows there’s was more to him than that she wished she could change it. Why didn’t Jemma just go back and change things?

Bobbi put her head in her hands; she knew she couldn’t hold that against Jemma. None of them really had much of an idea of how to control their powers. If any of them could have done something they would have. Was he scared when it happened? When he was falling? Was he scared like he was afraid his aunt was?

She wiped a tear away at the thought. She spent most of the time she knew him ignoring him but now he was dead all she craved to do was to listen. She didn’t want to forget his voice.

_I suppose if anything, I’m getting much more sleep than I would normally. Downside is I’m still stuck in this bloody box. If I run out of air will I die again? Then come back to no air and die again? And again? Fuck me, that’s dark._

Bobbi froze where she sat as her eyes widened. That was Lance’s voice in her head, clear as crystal. Was she just remembering? She didn’t remember him ever saying something like that though. Was that…was he…?

_“Hey Lance, do you have a sore throat?” “Nah mate, just coffin.” At least I still have my sense of humour._

Bobbi stood up. “…Lance?”

She could hear him. She could hear his thoughts. He’s alive. He’s alive…and buried. Buried alive.

“LANCE!” Bobbi shouted. “Oh my god…oh my…god…”

“Bobbi!”

Bobbi turned around to see the others rushing towards her, Coulson not far behind them. Coulson, Lincoln and Leo were each carrying a shovel.

“LANCE IS ALIVE! HE’S ALIVE IN THERE! I…I CAN HEAR HIM!” Bobbi exclaimed.

“Bloody hell.” Leo whispered.

“Lucky I had these in the van.” Coulson stated as he walked forward and held up his shovel. “Keep watch in case anyone notices. We need to be as fast as possible.”

Leo and Lincoln joined Coulson as they stood over Lance’s grave and began digging while the others all kept watch. The cemetery was barely visited anyway but you could never be too sure. Eventually, Bobbi heard Lance’s voice again.

_What the fuck is that noise?_

“He can hear you, you’re getting close!” Bobbi stated.

“That guy in the mask…how did he know?” Daisy asked Jemma.

“Your guess is as good as mine.” Jemma shrugged.

“What man in a mask?” Bobbi asked.

“We saw this guy watching us – all in black and in a mask – he left us this.” Jemma explained, handing Bobbi the piece of card.

“…That’s not possible. He must have known Lance was alive.” Bobbi said as she read it.

“And possibly that you were here too. Your powers make you the only one of us who could ever have found out he was still alive.” Daisy added. “I think he knew you’d be here to tell us.”

“Be he _was_ dead, right? So is this his power? Is he immortal or has he used up his ability by coming back?” Lincoln speculated.

“No idea.” Leo huffed as he kept digging.

“But I suggest not killing him again to find out.” Coulson grimaced just as there was a loud clank of metal. “Bingo.”

Coulson, Lincoln and Leo quickly removed all the dirt they needed to, revealing the metal plaque with Lance’s name engraved on top of the coffin.

An eerie silence fell over the group. Eventually, Coulson knelt down and lightly knocked on the wooden top and stepped back. The group heard some shuffling before the lid of the coffin slowly opened and flipped over, revealing a dishevelled Lance lying inside. Everyone’s faces lit up at the sight of him as he sat up and looked around.

“…You arseholes.” Lance said. “How long have I been stuck in there?”

Saying nothing, Bobbi jumped down into the hole and wrapped her arms around Lance, who slowly hugged her in return. “…This feels pretty nice, actually. I’ve missed human contact. Thanks.”

“I heard you down there. I hadn’t before but this time I did.” Bobbi smiled as she helped Lance to his feet and got him out of the newly dug pit.

“Well, I’ve been napping a lot, so…” Lance said, suddenly smirking. “…You’ve been visiting me a lot, then? You missed me.”

“Don’t think I won’t force you back in there.” Bobbi chuckled before hugging him again. “We thought you were dead.”

“I was. Then I wasn’t. But hey, I have powers after all! Suck on that, dickheads.” Lance chuckled. “Hey Coulson, how’s it going?”

“Not too bad.” Coulson smiled, placing a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “You doing okay?”

“Well, I’m in a suit so I’m feeling very overdressed right now, but apart from that…can’t complain. And I doubt I actually need food to survive now but I’m really craving a burger.” Lance stated.

“I think I can arrange that.” Coulson chuckled as everyone rushed to greet Lance once more.

…

The next day, Lance walked into the locker room with a huge grin as everyone turned to face him. “Oh, how I’ve missed this place. Can’t believe I’m saying it, but I did.”

“I wasn’t actually expecting you, Lance.” Coulson said as he entered the room and saw Lance stood there. “Had you chosen to continue letting people believe you were dead, you wouldn’t have been legally required to be here. But here you are, so best get your jumpsuit on.”

“…Shit.” Lance sighed as he headed to his locker.

“How did it go with your parents?” Lincoln asked.

“Mum fainted when she answered the door. Didn’t wake up for about an hour. My word, they were pissed off. Told them it was a practical joke but they didn’t seem to appreciate the flawless execution. Still, they’re coming round. Said that I had people sneak in some snacks and shit in the coffin to keep me going for a few days and then got them to dig me up. We have to pay damages to the church and pay off a few police officers but here we are, all fixed. Well, except for the creepy fucker in the mask you told me about who knew I was alive.” Lance explained as he got changed.

“Just try not to get yourselves in any trouble, guys. I’d rather not have any more drama for the next three weeks.” Coulson said.

“Have you heard from May yet?” Jemma asked.

“She still needs time to heal. She’s a strong woman, she’ll be okay.” Coulson nodded. “Right then, who fancies relabelling the books in the library? All of you, that’s who. Enjoy.”

Coulson smiled as he headed out and everyone slowly stood up to head to the library.

“Can I talk to you quickly?” Daisy asked as he approached Leo.

“Uh…yeah. Okay.” Leo nodded as he followed Daisy out of the locker room and into a storage cupboard nearby. “What’s up, did you-?”

Leo was interrupted by Daisy pushing him against the wall and passionately kissing him with all she had, running her hands up his chest and moaning as the kiss deepened. Eventually she pulled away and licked her lips with a smile as she remained close to Leo, who stared at her in complete shock.

“I’ve wanted to do that since the second I first saw you.” Daisy whispered seductively. “When we’re done in the library, I want you to have your way with me.”

She smiled again as she walked out of the cupboard and left Leo there, frozen in shock. It took a few minutes for him to compose himself and walk out himself, wondering what on Earth had just happened.

…

Everyone sorted through the books in the library, chatting away. Leo remained silent throughout, unable to look Daisy in the eye. Eventually Daisy said she was going to the toilet and headed out, looking back and winking at Leo as she went.

“God, I should’ve stayed dead.” Lance moaned as he threw more books into a box.

“I’m glad you didn’t.” Bobbi smiled at him. He smiled back.

“So what do you think the deal is with the man in the mask?” Lincoln wondered. “Do we have a super fan or something?”

“What the hell did we even do before that storm?” Jemma chuckled.

Suddenly, Daisy burst through the door. “There you all are!”

“Okay, I have to say something, I can’t hold it in!” Leo exclaimed, panic taking him over. “Daisy, you’re a nice person and you are very pretty but I don’t see you and that way and I’m very aware I probably should have said this in private but I’m not good at social skills!”

Everyone stared at Leo in stunned silence.

“Oh, I’ve missed this kind of shit.” Lance grinned.

“What are you talking about?” Daisy asked.

“You know what I’m talking about! When you led me into that cupboard earlier and kissed me and said you wanted me to…have my way with you.” Leo blushed.

“WHAT?!” Daisy shouted. “I DID NOT!”

“Yes you did!” Leo argued.

“You _did_ ask to speak to him in private earlier…” Bobbi noted, holding back a smirk.

“No I didn’t. I’ve only just got in! I overslept; I’ve been looking for you guys everywhere! Did you cover for me with Coulson?” Daisy asked. “Fitz, I don’t know what you’re on, but-”

“-Daisy, you were there this morning. You just went to the toilet a minute ago!” Lincoln said.

“Are you all high or something? I’ve just got in!” Daisy said.

“What the hell is happening?” Leo exclaimed. “If you didn’t…then who was…?”

Leo hurried out of the library and ran into the nearest bathroom. There was no one to be found. Bobbi followed him inside.

“Is there anyone in here?” Bobbi asked.

“No, I don’t think so.” Leo sighed.

“Good.” Bobbi smiled, pushing Leo against the wall and kissing him. He pushed her away.

“Bobbi, what the hell?” Leo shouted.

“Oh, so not her either? Does this one do it for you?” Bobbi asked. Leo’s eyes widened when Bobbi’s skin began to bubble and in a few seconds Jemma was stood in front of him.

“What about this one? You were staring at her quite a lot earlier. Do you love her? Is this who you want, Leo?” Jemma asked.

“What do you mean ‘earlier’? Earlier I was…wait…Aida?”

Jemma smiled as her skin bubbled again and now Aida appeared in front of Leo. “Didn’t take you too long to work it out. I always loved how smart you were.”

“Aida, what…what happened?” Leo wondered.

“You never really saw me all that time ago, did you? I always wanted to be someone else, someone that you would notice. Then there was that storm a few weeks ago, remember? I got caught in it and suddenly I could be anyone I laid my eyes on. I can be anyone you want me to be. It was fate that we found each other again. Now I can be your dream girl.” Aida grinned. “I can be Jemma all the time if you wanted. Now you can love me.”

“Aida, no…this…this is wrong.” Leo warned. “You can’t just…you can’t go around doing this.”

“If it gets me what I want, I’ll never stop.” Aida stated. “And I want you to notice me. At last. They said you did work at this place so I came and found you. Now we can be together.”

“Aida, we can’t…you have a life. A whole life outside from me. You don’t need me.”

“I’ve needed you from day one, Leopold. These people…they’ve changed you. I can sense it. They’ll stop us being together…so I’ll stop them.” Aida said.

“Don’t you dare lay a finger on my friends.” Leo snapped.

“They’re not your friends. They don’t love you like I do. I’ve always seen you for who you truly are. I know how special you are. And now I can give you anything you desire.” Aida said.

“Aida, please. Listen to me. This isn’t healthy. For either of us. You need to be who you really are otherwise you’ll never be happy. I can’t give you what you want. I…I was selfish. I ignored you. And I’m sorry. I should never have done that. I know all too well what that feels like. But there will be people out there who will love you for _you_. I don’t deserve the chance to be that person.” Leo said emotionally.

“I’ll be happy if you are. That’s all that matters.” Aida said.

“I’m happy now, Aida! With those people, with my friends! They make me happy! I finally feel part of something, don’t you see? For the first time in my life, I feel like I belong. I should never have treated you the way I did. It’s exactly how I hated being treated myself. I’m so sorry. You can be happy too, Aida, you just need to find the right people to make you happy. You…you need to let me go. I blew my shot. But my friends…they’ve made me better. And look what you did without me! You got a job, you got by! I’ve never done as much as you; I’m doing community service for god’s sake! You don’t need me, or love me. You love the idea of me. And I only know all of this because my friends have shown me the way. You’ll find your way too.” Leo said.

“…But I can be anyone now.” Aida said.

“All you need to be is you. Except maybe on Halloween, because with your power you could make one hell of a costume.” Leo smiled. Aida smiled slightly.

“You might think you’ll never find the right people to be your friends or even more than that, but I promise you…you will. I know, because I thought I never would. But here I am. There’s a time to live and a time to sleep, and finding the right people to spend your life with…bloody hell, _that’s_ living. I was lucky enough to find mine and it might take some looking but you’ll find your people too. You have the framework to build something amazing…go find the rest of it. Don’t believe in me, that would be terrible advice…just…believe in yourself. And if we’d never met again I would never have had the experience I’ve had to be able to tell you that.” He added.

“But my powers…why would I have gotten them if I have no need of them?” Aida asked.

“…I like to think everything happens for a reason. Maybe you got given your powers to show you that all you really need to get by is yourself. So go out there and do good. I know you can and I know you will. Even if you have to fly around the world to find yourself, do it…and then you’ll find who you’ll need to along the way.”

Aida could see in Leo’s eyes that he meant every word of what he’d said. His sheer belief in the people he’d met…who would she be to take them away from him?

“Thank you.” She whispered, hugging Leo gently. “For believing in me.”

“Good luck, Aida.” Leo smiled. “Really.”

Aida smiled back, saying nothing more as she turned and walked out. She didn’t look back.

“Thank god that worked.” Leo sighed. “Those would’ve been very long-winded last words.”

…

“I think you’re the only person in the world who could talk a psychopath around.” Lincoln chuckled as everyone sat at a table in their favourite diner.

“I thought she was a psychopath but…she was just misunderstood. I know how it feels.” Leo nodded happily.

“I’m just glad it’s sorted and the air’s been cleared. You’re a great guy, Fitz, but I don’t think you’re my type.” Daisy said.

“Glad to hear it.” Leo smiled.

“Well, Aida’s gonna be okay, our favourite sarcastic prick is back from the dead and not a sign of the man in the mask…maybe things can start resembling normality for once now?” Lincoln suggested.

“One can only hope.” Jemma grinned.

From the building opposite, the man in the mask sat on the roof watching the group laugh together. Whenever and wherever he needed to be, he’d be there. Watching. Waiting.


	10. I Look To You

“Daisy, wake up! We’re going to be late at this rate.” Jemma shouted as she banged on the door of the spare bedroom Daisy had been sleeping in for the last few weeks.

“I’m up, I’m up. Five minutes.” Daisy shouted back. Jemma headed downstairs with a satisfied smile, pleasantly surprised Daisy had actually gotten up on time for once.

“Shit.” Daisy cursed as she flew out of bed and looked at the time. “Every bloody day.”

She shoved on the nearest clothes she could find (she’d just have to change into the orange jumpsuit anyway) and brushed her hair as quickly as she could before rushing downstairs. Jemma was waiting by the door. “Ready?”

“Always.” Daisy smirked as she followed Jemma out of the house. “And I promise I’ll be out of your hair soon.”

“I told you, you’re welcome to stay with us as long as you like. It’s no bother.” Jemma smiled.

“I hope Coulson doesn’t make it sort through the rubbish bins again.” Daisy began as the two walked down to the road leading up to the community centre. “I can still smell those frickin’ rats. Ew.”

“I actually find rats quite fascinating.” Jemma commented as she and Daisy began to cross the road. “The behaviour they can display in different situations and experimental tests is quite extraordinary. Did you know-?”

“JEMMA!” Daisy screamed as a car playing loud music screeched suddenly around the corner, heading straight for the two girls crossing the road. Daisy instinctively jumped out of the way, only to look back in horror at the sight of Jemma frozen where she stood in terror, eyes fixated on the car. “JEMMA!”

Jemma suddenly felt a tightening around her before she found herself being flung to the side of the road. The car continued to speed down the road with seemingly no concern for anyone. Jemma dusted herself off and looked up to see a familiar figure stood over her.

The man in the mask.

Jemma stood up quickly. “You…you saved me.”

The man in the mask stood silently looking at her. Jemma wished she could look directly into the eyes behind the black plastic. “…Thank you.”

As Jemma took a step closer, the man in the mask stepped back and rushed off, climbing up the side of a nearby building and vanishing out of sight.

“Wait!” Jemma shouted after him as Daisy ran up to her.

“Holy crap, are you okay?” Daisy asked worriedly.

“Yeah, I…I’m fine. Did you see that?” Jemma asked.

“It was amazing! He came out of nowhere! Who the hell is that guy? How did he know to be here?” Daisy wondered.

“I haven’t the faintest idea.” Jemma said, deciding not to add that the questions Daisy posed were immensely fascinating to her.

…

“And he just came out of nowhere, ran straight towards Jemma without hesitation and pushed her out of the way. It was like something out of a movie!” Daisy recalled in the locker room as she and Jemma filled the group in on the previous events.

“That’s crazy. And you’re alright?” Bobbi asked Jemma, who nodded.

“I’m fine physically, but I realised on the walk here that my necklace must’ve fallen off in the confusion. My grandmother gave it to me years ago and I barely took it off.” Jemma revealed sadly.

“We can look for it on the way back. We’ll find it.” Daisy nodded comfortingly.

“Okay, so the creepy stalker cosplayer saved Jemma, but that doesn’t take away the fact that he’s a creepy stalker cosplayer.” Lance shrugged.

“To be fair, Jemma could have died.” Lincoln said.

“Tell it to someone who can’t come back to life.” Lance grinned like a schoolboy.

“He seems to know more about us than we do; where we’ll be, what we’re doing, who we are…it’s pretty scary to think about. It’s dangerous for people to know too much about us.” Leo said.

At that moment, Coulson walked in with an unknown young woman, her dark hair tied in a tight ponytail and dressed in the all too familiar orange jumpsuit.

“Everyone, this is Kara. She’ll be joining you for the next week or so. Make her feel welcome and get to work on tidying up the main hall after the 60th birthday party they held there last night.” Coulson explained, his eyes telling the group to be sure not to mention anything about powers and demon probation workers to her.

The door shut behind Coulson as he headed out, and Kara leant against the wall, saying nothing as she stared at everyone in turn.

“So, what’re you in for?” Lance asked.

“This ain’t prison.” Kara rolled her eyes.

“But it could’ve been.” Lance joked. Bobbi held back a laugh.

“Assaulted a bouncer at a club, if you must know.” Kara said. “So which way to the main hall?”

“We don’t have to hurry down there. Coulson’s not too strict.” Lance said.

“…Look, I’m not gonna be here long. I’m not looking to chat and make friends. So…which way to the main hall?” Kara snapped.

“We’ll show you. Come on.” Lincoln said as the group all headed out.

“Have we met somewhere before? You look really familiar.” Jemma asked Kara as they walked.

“…No.” Kara said suddenly.

“Really? I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere. Did you go-?”

“We’ve never met before.” Kara snapped, silencing Jemma.

“I bet she’s fun at parties.” Lance whispered to Leo, who laughed lightly. Kara clocked the two laughing.

“Something funny? I’m not gonna take any shit. You’re a rude prick and you look like you belong in an asylum.” Kara said, pointing at Lance and Leo in turn.

“Oh come on, lighten up. We’re all friends here; you might as well have some fun with us.” Lance suggested.

“I can have fun by myself, thanks.” Kara rolled her eyes.

“Really? Can I watch?” Lance joked.

Kara walked right up into Lance’s face. “That’s disgusting. Just shut your mouth around me, yeah?”

“No sense of humour. Noted.” Lance said.

“Prick.” Kara spat as they reached the main hall. Kara went off on her own to start clearing tables of paper plates.

“I don’t think I made a brilliant first impression there.” Lance said.

“She just doesn’t understand you like we do yet.” Daisy noted.

“If we get to know her, she might be lovely herself.” Jemma suggested.

“Yeah, she’ll be the life and soul of the party by lunchtime.” Lincoln smirked before noting Kara glaring at the group from the other side of the room.

…

Lance stood by his locker checking his phone while the others ate lunch together in the courtyard. He turned at the sound of the door opening and was surprised to see Kara stood there, staring at his intensely.

“…Don’t worry, I’ll get out of your hair once I’ve sent my mum the daily reminder that I’m alive. Long story.” Lance smiled.

Kara said nothing as she walked up to Lance and forcefully grabbed his wrist.

“What the hell?” Lance argued, trying to pull his hand away. He was shocked to find he couldn’t escape Kara’s strong grip. “What the fuck is going on?”

“I’d say I’m sorry about this, but it’s necessary.” Kara said, using her free hand to partially unzip her jumpsuit to reveal her bare shoulder. Lance’s eyes widened when he saw instead of bare skin he was greeted with the sight of stone.

“I…I…” Lance tried to speak but found himself unable to. He looked down at Kara’s hand on his wrist as he felt an intense burning; Kara’s hand glowed a soft orange. Suddenly, the orange glow transferred onto his skin as his hand began turning to stone, rapidly spreading across his body. He stared at Kara and pleaded with his eyes, but she only watched in silence, stepping away as the process completed.

“At least now you’ll definitely stop talking.” Kara smiled, examining her shoulder and grinning as the stony surface transformed into normal skin once more.

…

“Where the hell is he? Prick owes me a Snickers.” Lincoln wondered as the group headed back inside to find Lance. They’d waited nearly half an hour and yet he still hadn’t joined them outside.

“Not dead again is he?” Leo joked as they walked into the locker room.

“Holy shit! LANCE!” Daisy cried at the sight of a statue perfectly resembling Lance stood by his open locker.

“What the hell is that?” Jemma asked.

“I…I think…I think it’s him. I think it’s Lance.” Leo said.

“Last time I checked he wasn’t a fucking statue!” Lincoln stated.

Bobbi inspected the statue further, taking in every detail. Looking down, she noticed one stone hand was clutching onto Lance’s mobile.

“He’s holding his phone, look!” Bobbi said, staring at the statue in shock. “…It’s _him_.”

“Does he have another power or something?” Daisy wondered.

“We all have one specific power set; it would seem unlikely based on what we’ve experienced that any one of us has more than one ability.” Jemma explained.

“Then how do you explain that? Our friend’s a statue!” Lincoln shouted.

“…Kara.” Leo said, and everyone looked at him. “…I mean…it’s only speculation, but…it could have been her. She arrived here today and suddenly Lance gets turned to stone.”

“It’s the most plausible theory.” Jemma agreed.

“I’ll go get Coulson.” Daisy announced and hurried off.

“We need to find Kara and sort this. Rule her out if – however unlikely it may be – she’s not involved, then focus on dealing with this. Maybe the storm affected her too? We know all too well it wasn’t just all of us who received powers.” Jemma said.

“And…and what if we can’t fix this?” Lincoln whispered in case somehow Lance was still able to hear them.

“…Then we deal with that possibility should we need to.” Jemma nodded, worry in her eyes.

Daisy rushed back into the room. “We’ve got a problem. Well, another one.”

“What is it?” Leo asked.

Daisy sighed as she held up her phone for everyone to see. Displayed on the screen was a picture of a statue in Coulson’s office stood by the desk, looking exactly like Coulson himself.

“Oh shit.” Lincoln said.

“We’re on our own.” Daisy said. “It’s gotta be that Kara bitch. It _has_ to be.”

“You guys go and find her, find out what she’s done.” Bobbi ordered, unable to take her eyes off the statue of Lance. “…I’ll stay here.”

“You sure?” Leo asked.

“…If it were me and…and there’s a possibility I’d know what was going on around me…I wouldn’t want to be alone. And if she comes back I can deal with her.” Bobbi nodded. A silent agreement filled the room as Jemma and Leo headed off in one direction and Daisy and Lincoln went another.

Bobbi turned back to the statue after watching the others leave and concentrated as hard as she could for a few minutes.

She sighed. She couldn’t hear any thoughts coming from Lance. Maybe he couldn’t hear, see or feel anything after all.

“I’m sorry.” Bobbi said. “And I must be a complete idiot stood here talking to a statue.”

She sat down on the bench next to the statue and looked at it for a while. “…Is this the longest you’ve ever gone without talking?”

She smiled and laughed lightly. “…You’d have laughed at that. Please laugh.”

Silence.

“We’ll fix this. I know we will.” Bobbi nodded. “We always fix it. Hell, we’ve already lost you once then got you back…we’re getting accustomed to it.”

Silence again. Bobbi stood up. “I mean…we’re not. That was a joke. Really bad one, actually. We were…well, we were devastated when you…you know. God, it feels like I’ve known you all for years. Hasn’t even been two months. I doubt many of us would even be speaking if it hadn’t been for that storm, huh? We’d just be silently getting on with it. We kinda got thrown together, didn’t we? You know, I’m actually glad we did. I can’t believe I’m saying it but…I’m glad we got caught in that storm, otherwise I wouldn’t have you guys.”

She walked closer to the statue, tears in her eyes. “I’ve always wanted to have a proper family to be close to, and now I’ve got one. People to rely on, to look to when I need them. I look to Daisy for advice, Jemma for comfort, Leo for facts I pretend I don’t find interesting but actually do, Lincoln for someone to lean on no matter what. And when I need someone to make me laugh without fail and remind me life isn’t that bad…I look to you.”

Bobbi tentatively reached out for the statue’s open hand and felt the coldness against her palm. “I regretted so much when we lost you the first time…things that didn’t get spoken about. You know, when we…and now here we are all over again and if we really do lose you this time…of all the things that could’ve killed us over the last few weeks but didn’t, I think knowing you’re really gone might just be the one to actually do it.”

She sat down again when she realised she was crying. “God, I’m ridiculous. I sound like a soppy loved-up teenager. And I’m not saying that I…I just…maybe I got you wrong at first. And if you can hear me then at least you know that now, I _really_ see you. And I like what I see.”

“Hell of a speech.” A new voice commented. Bobbi stood up defensively at the sight of Kara stood at the doorway. “You’ll all come back here eventually…but I guess I can start with you.”

Kara reached out a hand as she walked closer to Bobbi, an orange glow running through it.

“…So it is you. What did the storm did to you?” Bobbi said, stepping backwards away from Kara.

“More than you think. Nice to know that you know about the storm too.” Kara stated.

“And turning people into statues? Pretty shit power if you ask me.” Bobbi spat with anger.

Kara laughed. “I told you, the storm did more than you think. This is nothing compared to the gift it truly gave me. I only do this to keep that gift.”

“I don’t understand.” Bobbi stated.

“That’s okay. It won’t matter to you for much longer.” Kara said, leaping for Bobbi.

Bobbi closed her eyes, only opening them at the sound of a loud crash as Daisy burst through the door and sent Kara flying into some lockers with a shockwave. Lincoln followed her in. “Couldn’t find the bitch. Now we know why.”

“I’m trying not to take this personally, and neither should any of you. I have to do this; there’s no choice. I can’t go back.” Kara said angrily as she got up.

“Go back to what?” Lincoln asked.

“It doesn’t concern you.” Kara said before rushing next to the statue of Lance and placing a hand firmly on its shoulder. “Any sudden movements, or if I even suspect anyone is about to make a move, your friend takes a trip.”

“Don’t you dare.” Bobbi warned.

“I have no more use for him now, so it would be a shame to ruin such a handsome looking face. How about we make a deal?” Kara suggested.

“What kind of deal?” Daisy questioned.

“Only one of you need give yourself up to me, and then I’ll go and never come back. I’ll find others to feed on instead.” Kara stated.

“You think we’ll just let you walk out and hurt more innocent people?” Lincoln said argumentatively.

“It’s either that or I claim all of you.” Kara said emotionlessly. “So yes.”

“It’s okay.” Bobbi said, staring at Lincoln and Daisy in turn. “Leave my friends alone and you can have me.”

“Bobbi, no!” Daisy argued.

“Do we have a deal?” Bobbi asked Kara, who nodded happily.

“Smart girl.” Kara smirked.

“Bobbi, what the hell are you doing?” Lincoln exclaimed.

“The right thing. Saving all you guys. I was always brought up on the idea that if something felt wrong, then you shouldn’t do it. This feels right. You guys have done more for me than you could ever know, so let me pay you back.” Bobbi explained tearfully, her eyes fixated on the statue of Lance. Maybe after she was gone the others could find a way to change them back? Or even just Lance? There was, surprisingly, always hope

“Bobbi, _please_.” Daisy begged. “We can’t lose anyone else.”

“Everything’s gonna be fine.” Bobbi said, looking at Kara. “Do it.”

“Good.” Kara said, her glowing hand reaching out for Bobbi as she moved away from the statue and towards her. “I don’t know if it hurts or not, sorry.”

“Bobbi, no!” Daisy screamed.

“Hey!” Jemma shouted as she appeared at the doorway. Kara turned to face her. “Not another single one of my friends, you bitch.”

Kara rolled her eyes and lunged for Bobbi, only for her eyes to widen as she cried in pain, clutching her stomach and falling back against the door on the other side of the room as if she’d been kicked with brutal force. “What…?”

Her glowing hand moved up and started shaking as if she couldn’t control it’s movements but was fighting them anyway. She spat and screamed as her shaking hand moved closer and closer towards her face. Her hand touched the bare skin of her cheek and the orange glow spread into her face as she squealed.

Leo appeared in front of her out of thin air, having been the one who kicked and restrained her. “I’m sorry.”

Leo stepped back and joined the others as Kara’s cheek began to turn to stone, slowly spreading across her face to silence her wails. She leant against the door as the rest of her body turned to stone, leaving her a statue like all her other victims.

“We heard a crash before and came running then listened at the door.” Jemma explained. “Leo suggested using his powers to sneak in and get her away from you all. Genius, really.”

“Well, it was Jemma who thought of using her own powers against her so she should take the credit.” Leo shrugged.

“But you were the one who executed the plan to perfection, so…” Jemma blushed.

“You were the one who heard the crash in the first place, and without that -” Leo began.

“-You were both brilliant.” Daisy grinned as she hugged them both and turned to Bobbi. “Are you okay, Bobbi?”

“Yeah, yeah. Fine.” Bobbi said, still staring at the statue of Lance. “…I thought maybe…I guess there wasn’t hope.”

The sadness filling the room was halted by the small sound of a crack. Everyone turned to face the direction of the noise and watched as the surface of the statue of Lance started to fill with little cracks, growing larger and more frequent until flakes of stone began falling away and Lance fell to the floor with a huff. Everyone’s faces lit up as Lance caught his breath and looked up at the others.

“Well, pretty sure I’m claustrophobic.”

“Are you okay?” Bobbi asked, kneeling down to his level.

“Yeah, I…I think so. Now.” Lance smiled at her. She smiled back.

“I knew I recognised her.” Jemma said. “Now she’s all stone it’s obvious. It’s the statue that’s part of the fountain in the park gardens, right?”

“Holy shit…you’re right. It is! It’s her!” Lincoln said. “God knows how many times I’ve walked past that.”

“So what, the storm, like, brought a statue to life?” Daisy wondered.

“Makes sense.” Lance said as he stood up. “She was all stony under her jumpsuit. I think turning people into statues allowed her to hold onto a human form, like she was draining them. Us. Me. Ew.”

“Maybe since it wasn’t a living thing before the storm, the statue had to manually retain their powers. There’s no blood or organs or tissue to hold the biological changes the storm must have had on humans.” Leo speculated.

“And since the source of all this mess has been restored to its natural state, the powers it was given faded away and undid everything that had been done, fixing all of Kara’s victims.” Jemma added.

“Every action must have an equal and opposite reaction.” Leo smiled. “Science, biatch.”

“Well that’s all very well and good, but the question is now…what do we do with her?” Lance asked.

“WHAT ON EARTH WAS THAT ABOUT?!” Coulson shouted as he slammed the door open. The door flew into Kara and sent her falling down to the floor, smashing into little chunks of stone.

Silence.

“…Never mind.” Lance added.

…

After visiting the park and finding the statue at the water fountain was nowhere to be seen and clearly hadn’t been for some time, the group’s theory about where she’d come from had been confirmed. However, there was still one more mystery about her that was bugging the team.

“How did she get the name Kara? And get herself into community service?” Jemma asked as she and Leo stood in Coulson’s office.

“That’s the mystery. All the paperwork about her looks official and legit. If there is an explanation out there, we’ve yet to find it.” Coulson said, handing Leo a folder of all the documents relating to ‘Kara’.

“I’ll go over it all, see if I can find anything.” Leo said. “Loose ends make me anxious.”

“If anyone can solve it, it’s probably you two – Leo and Jemma. Fitz and Simmons. Fitzsimmons! You should use that.” Coulson suggested. “Start a band or something.”

Leo and Jemma shared a look and smiled as they walked out of the office to join the others.

“He’s mad, that one.” Leo chuckled.

“We’re all mad, let’s just accept it.” Jemma grinned.

…

Bobbi hurried downstairs after hearing a knock on the door, pleasantly surprised to see Lance stood there.

“Oh…hi.” Bobbi smiled.

“Hey. I, uh…sorry to keep showing up on your doorstep unannounced.” Lance chuckled.

“It’s okay.” Bobbi laughed. “…How’re you holding up?”

“I’m alright; I’m not gonna lie and say it wasn’t absolutely terrifying being turned to stone but…you know, it all ended up okay.” Lance nodded.

“Good. So, what’s up?” Bobbi asked.

Lance took a moment to work up some courage. “I, uh…I heard what you said. You know, when I was…rock n’ roll without the roll. About me and…you.”

“Oh. I wasn’t sure if you had.” Bobbi felt all her breath leave her body.

“I just, I didn’t want to make a big deal of it in front of everyone, you know? It’d be rude of me to basically tell them I know I’m your favourite.” Lance smirked.

Bobbi laughed. “I don’t think that’s what I said.”

“…No. Guess not.” Lance chuckled nervously. “So…I, um…I was wondering…maybe we…do you want to go out to dinner sometime? Maybe?”

“…I’d love to.” Bobbi blushed, holding back a grin.

Lance couldn’t hold back his. “Wow. Okay. Brilliant. We can, uh…we can sort out details later, right? I don’t really have a solid plan because I didn’t want to come across as too desperate.”

“Smooth.” Bobbi smiled. “We can talk about it tomorrow sometime?”

“Yeah, yeah. Okay. I’ll, uh…I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Lance nodded.

“See you tomorrow.” Bobbi said softly.

They shared a smile before Lance turned and began to walk away.

“Oi, Hunter.” Bobbi called out, rushing after Lance.

“Yeah?” Lance asked.

Bobbi reached Lance, grabbed his shirt and pulled him into a deep kiss. Their lips parted and Bobbi, saying nothing else, smiled and ran back into her house.

Lance stayed stood where he was for a few moments, grinned, and headed home.

…

Having bid goodnight to Daisy and her parents, Jemma got washed and changed ready for bed. After following her nightly bedtime routine perfectly as always, she returned from the bathroom into her bedroom and stopped dead at the sight of her open bedroom window letting in the gentle night breeze. Sat on the ledge inside the room was the man in the mask.

Jemma went to scream but nothing came out. She remained frozen as the man in the mask stood up and slowly reached down, unzipping a pocket sewn into his trousers and pulling out a familiar object – a silver necklace of a rose with golden petals. The necklace she’d lost that morning.

“…You found it.” Jemma said eventually, cautiously approaching the man and taking the necklace from his gloved hand. “I’d almost forgotten about everything this morning. I’ve had a long day. There was the girl and she…sorry, you don’t care. Do you? Wait…why am I even trying to tell you all this? It’s like…I don’t know…”

Jemma took a step closer, leaving her only inches away from the man in the mask. “…Do I know you?”

She couldn’t really see through the mask, but Jemma knew the man behind it was staring deeply into her eyes. After a few moments, he turned around and slowly climbed out of the window and away from view. Jemma shivered as she closed the window and stared at the necklace in her hand, wondering what she could have possibly been doing with her days before that storm turned her life upside down.


	11. What We Become

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been waiting to write this chapter since the very beginning, and it's one of my favourites so far. Hope you enjoy!

“Good morning, all!” Bobbi sang as she walked happily into the locker room with a spring in her step. Everyone was present except Lance.

“What’s got you all smiley?” Daisy asked suspiciously.

“She’s got a date with Lance tonight.” Leo smirked.

“Shut the hell up!” Daisy grinned excitedly as Jemma’s jaw dropped.

“How the hell did you know?” Bobbi asked, turning to Leo.

“You think he didn’t text us both the second after it happened?” Lincoln chuckled.

“And how you were both so excited for it you called each other up and scheduled it for the very next evening.” Leo smirked.

“Screw you guys.” Bobbi said.

“I don’t think Lance would approve of that.” Lincoln chuckled.

“Is it bad that I’m this nervous? I mean, it’s _Lance_.” Bobbi wondered.

“First piece of advice, don’t say his name like it’s a bad thing. He has a sweet side and you bring that out in him. You two have been giving each other the eye since the second we dug him up…a sentence I never thought I’d say.” Daisy said.

“Why don’t we come over to yours later and help you get ready?” Jemma suggested.

“That would be amazing! Thank you!” Bobbi smiled as Lance walked in and stopped at the sight of her.

“Hi.” He said shyly.

“…Hey.” Bobbi blushed.

The others silently stared at them both in turn.

“…Okay, either make out or start talking because this silence is killing me!” Lincoln exclaimed.

“Sorry.” Lance and Bobbi said in unison, sharing a smile as they did so.

“Okay, this is too cute for me. I can feel my teeth rotting. Let’s go put up some shelves or something.” Daisy rolled her eyes and headed out, Jemma and Bobbi following her. As Lincoln and Leo stood up and went to follow, Lance stepped in front of them.

“Right, you two need to come over to my place tonight and help me get ready for this date.” Lance declared nervously.

“…Are you nervous?” Lincoln smirked.

“Of course I’m bloody nervous! The confidence, the coolness…it’s all a façade! Well, maybe not the coolness. Don’t you know me at all?!” Lance exclaimed.

“I’m not sure I’ll be of much help. Can’t I just-?” Leo began.

“No. You’re coming. I need any and all help I can get.” Lance ordered.

“But I’d planned a perfect night in doing absolutely nothing!” Leo argued.

…

Jemma rolled her eyes and chuckled that evening as she shut the front door of her house behind her and set off for Bobbi’s place. Daisy was running late as ever so told Jemma to go on ahead and help Bobbi out as much as she could until she got there. She wasn’t sure if she was comfortable with that; she’d always felt like she was the least glamorous out of the three girls. What good could she possibly do? Daisy would have all the best tips, and Bobbi was beautiful enough as it was. If anything, she was afraid of being a hindrance.

She took a shortcut through the town centre and hurried along, checking her phone and her bag to make sure she had everything she needed for the tenth time. She glanced at any passers-by and clocked any movement as she made her way through what was known to be a dodgy part of the city. Then movement in an unexpected place caught her attention.

The derelict abandoned pub had remained open for quite some time after the rest of the nearby buildings were knocked down, but eventually it too succumbed to the troubled economic times and shut down. Nothing was ever done with it and eventually it became closed off, overridden with plants and graffiti and parts of it had crumbled away. As Jemma glanced at it she could have sworn she saw a shadow moving nearby.

She saw the shadow again and stepped a bit closer. Her eyes adjusted to the dark and she could see what it was. _Who_ it was.

The man in the mask. He climbed down from the top of the building to the worn front door and stepped inside.

Jemma’s heart stopped. Without thinking, she kicked off her heels, picked them up and ran towards the building as quickly as she could. She stopped at the door and listened for a few moments. Nothing. Tentatively, she pushed open the door and headed inside. The place stank of rot and barely anything could be seen in the darkness. However, Jemma soon spotted a door at the other end of the room that seemed to have a bright white light shining through from the other side. She carefully made her way up to it and slowly opened it.

She squinted her eyes as the light filled the room. Behind the door were some stone stairs heading downwards and into another room where the light was even stronger.

She held her breath and silently walked down the steps, down a short corridor and into the brightly lit room. Her eyes widened at the sight; a huge expansive space, the bright lights hanging from the ceiling and light blue walls. A bed was positioned against a wall and one corner of the room had been cornered off with some curtains, but the showerhead attached to the wall just above them made it clear it was some sort of bathroom area. One wall was made up almost entirely of screens; several of them were showing CCTV feeds from the local area while others had what looked like a set of countdowns – bold red numbers ticking down, each one different from the other. Five of the countdown screens had already reached zero while some others still had hours, days or even weeks left.

Finally, Jemma noticed a plastic grey desk underneath where the countdowns were placed on the wall. She walked up to it and made note of a large green leather-bound book, a smaller black notebook and…the mask.

Just the mask. Jemma recognised it instantly as the one the man wore, the mask she’d looked into when he’d saved her life from that car. This place was his home? His lair? His prison? What did all of it mean?

Jemma froze at the sound of curtains being drawn open. She didn’t want to turn around; she’d happily just stay there forever or just wait for the man to kill her or…whatever it was he wanted. The only thing that compelled her to turn around was when the man finally spoke, and spoke in a voice she recognised.

“Hi.”

_It couldn’t be him, though. That’s not possible._

She turned around and her mouth fell slightly open. It _was_ him. Yet it still wasn’t possible. “…How…I…I don’t…?”

“It’s okay. Take your time.”

“…Fitz?”

Leo smiled and nodded. He was still wearing the rest of the black costume the group had been so perplexed by. “Hey, Jemma.”

“But…this doesn’t make sense. You…you’re the man in the mask?” Jemma shook her head.

“…Yeah. I understand this might be quite confusing.” Leo said.

“No, you can’t be. You’ve been there when we’ve seen him. Why are you dressed up in his costume? What are you doing here?” Jemma questioned.

“I _am_ the man in the mask. But not yet, from your point of view.” Leo stated.

“What does that mean?” Jemma stepped forward argumentatively.

“…I’m…I’m from the future. I travelled back in time to _this_ time.” Leo said.

“You’re playing a prank, aren’t you? This isn’t real. Am I asleep somewhere?” Jemma asked.

“I’m the Leo you know, just from the future, that’s all. Surely you’ve noticed this?” Leo asked, rubbing his chin. Jemma noted that Leo, _this_ Leo at least, now had stubble. The Leo she knew never had.

“Is…is that make-up or fake hair or something? I applaud your attention to detail if nothing else.” Jemma said.

“It’s real, Jemma. I’m the Leo you know from the future.”

“Prove it.” Jemma snapped.

“Call me.” Leo said.

“What?”

“Give Leo a call. You’ll ask him where he is and he’ll say he probably shouldn’t tell you that and you’ll ask him why and he’ll say because he doesn’t want to drop Lance in it and then he’ll get annoyed at himself for dropping Lance in it. Then you get all confused and hang up.” Leo explained.

“And what makes you say that?” Jemma asked.

“Because I remember the conversation.” Leo said. “Because it happened in my past.”

Jemma scoffed and shook her head as she put her heels on the desk to search through her bag.

“Nice shoes.” Leo smirked.

“Shut up.” Jemma said as she got out her phone and called Leo.

“Hello?” Leo’s voice sounded from the other end, yet the Leo Jemma could see hadn’t said a word, though his smile got bigger.

Jemma was silent for a short while, in a state of shock.

“…Hello?” Leo asked again from the other end.

“Where are you?” Jemma asked, eyes glued to the stubbly Leo.

“…Hey, Jemma. I, uh…I probably shouldn’t tell you that.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to drop Lance in it…oh bloody hell! I always do this! I panic and I’m not good at lying and now you know it’s to do with Lance…shit!” Leo cursed. Jemma could barely keep a grip on the phone as she felt herself getting lightheaded.

“…I, uh…oh my…uh…bye.” She said quickly, hanging up. “I’m going to be sick.”

“Hey, it’s alright.” Leo said, rushing over to Jemma, pulling out a chair from under the desk and guiding her gently into it.

“…You’re from the future? Like…you actually are.” Jemma said in disbelief.

“I actually am. I said it myself just then; I’m not good at lying. And if anyone can understand the concept of travelling in time it’s you…that’s your power, after all.” Leo explained.

“So how did you do it? How did you travel back here?” Jemma asked, feeling a little better now she was sat down.

“…I can’t really say yet. A lot happens from now until where I’ve come from. I mean, it hasn’t been _that_ long, but…so much has gone on. So much has changed. There are things I can and can’t tell you.” Leo explained, kneeling down in front of Jemma and looking into her eyes. “You feeling any better?”

“Yeah. Thanks. How much further in time are you from?” Jemma asked.

“Can’t say.”

“Why did you come back at all?”

“To ensure a few things happen when they need to. Keep things on its course.” Leo said.

“…The countdowns…” Jemma noted.

Leo grinned. “They help me keep track of when I need to perform a task. I’ve got everything written down in that black notebook that I need to know. So no, you can’t look in there. Sorry.”

“Five of the countdowns are already done.” Jemma pointed out.

“They are. Remember that Kara girl? Turned people into statues? _Was_ a statue?” Leo asked.

“Unfortunately.” Jemma nodded.

“We couldn’t work out where she got the name from, and all her paperwork, right? Turns out that was me. Task one was to go to the park on the day of the storm and give her the paperwork and information she needed to know.” Leo explained.

“And the only reason we even had that paperwork for you to give her…” Jemma began.

“…was because I go back and give her that exact same paperwork, yeah. In the mask and everything, of course; couldn’t have her recognising me when the time came for her to cause us trouble.” Leo said.

“Wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.” Jemma whispered.

Leo laughed. “Quite so.”

“You’re a Doctor Who fan?” Jemma asked.

“Of course I am. We have plenty of Who marathons in the future.” Leo smiled.

“…Really?” Jemma asked and Leo nodded. “…I’m sorry…this is just…it’s bizarre.”

“I get it. It’s a lot to take in.”

“…What’s the stubble for?” Jemma wondered.

“… _That’s_ your next question?” Leo chuckled.

“It’s just…it suits you.” Jemma smiled.

Leo smiled back. “…I did it to impress a girl I liked. Kinda grew on me. Literally.”

Jemma laughed. “You…you seem so different. And yet exactly the same. It’s a good thing, I think.”

“Like I said, a lot happens between now and then. We all change. For better or worse.”

“…And what about the other four countdowns? Four other tasks?” Jemma wondered.

“Yep. Task two was being on that rooftop for you to all see me for the first time and give you the note about Lance’s grave. Thirdly, save you from that car. Forth, give you your necklace back. And fifth, climb around the pub a bit until you noticed me and followed me in here. It was time for you to find out the truth.” Leo explained.

“But why me? Why not someone else?” Jemma asked.

“…That I can’t tell you just yet. You have quite a special part to play.” Leo smiled, his eyes lighting up suddenly. Jemma found the sight surprisingly beautiful.

“My mum always told me I was special.” Jemma joked.

Leo laughed lightly. “Well…you are.”

“And what will you do when the last countdown is over, the last task?” Jemma enquired.

“That depends on how the last task goes, I guess.” Leo shrugged. “There are some things even I don’t know about the future.”

“…I can’t believe this is happening. This is madness.” Jemma sighed. “I mean, it’s brilliant, but it’s madness. I mean, what is this place?”

“It was the old pub cellar. I expanded the space out, got some materials, installed a few things. I knew no one would find it since the place is abandoned. It’s just somewhere to sleep and shower in between jobs, really.” Leo explained.

“You did all of this by yourself?” Jemma asked, looking around.

“I had to learn a lot, but yeah. I have to learn a lot of things. Well, the Leo you know has to, anyway.”

“Yeah, you’re like a ninja now with all those jumps and stuff.” Jemma smiled and Leo chuckled.

“I wouldn’t go that far, but yeah.” Leo smiled. “…You know you can’t tell anyone about any of this. You can’t even hint at it. Especially not to my past self. None of them can know about this yet. It could change the course of our future.”

“…Okay.” Jemma nodded.

“I’m sorry. I know that’s a lot of pressure to put on you.” Leo sighed.

“I understand. Time is a delicate thing, as I’ve discovered. Besides, you’ve got all this tasks to do at the right times…much more pressure than me.” Jemma said. “…There was all of us thinking the man in the mask was evil at first, but then he saved me and…it was you all along.”

“Funny how life works out, huh?” Leo smirked. “And if it ever gets too much or you have any more questions, just pop in. If I’m not here just wait around and I’ll never be too long.”

“So I can just come whenever I want?” Jemma asked. “You’d be okay with me invading your man cave?”

“…I’d love it if you did.” Leo smiled. Jemma smiled back. They lingered for a moment too long and Jemma snapped back to reality, standing up and pointing at the leather-bound book. “What’s that then?”

Leo looked at the book and smiled, almost sadly. “Reminders of home. And what I’m going back to when this is over.”

“And _who_ you’re going back to?” Jemma asked.

“Sorry?”

“Earlier, with the stubble…you mentioned there was a girl you liked. Is she still around in your time?” Jemma asked.

Leo stared at her for a moment. “Yeah.”

“…Do you miss her?”

“Every second.”

“…Oh god, I was supposed to be going to Bobbi’s! I’d better go. I, uh…after all of this it seems weird for me to just hurry off to get Bobbi ready for a date but…” Jemma began as she gathered up her things and put on her heels.

“It’s alright. I’ve got some preparation to do anyway.” Leo nodded, glancing at the remaining countdowns mounted on the wall.

“Thank you…for saving my life that time. And for all of this. I don’t know everything you’re doing but I can tell it’s important.” Jemma said. “And thank you for trusting me with this.”

“Thank _you_. There’s no one I trust more.” Leo smiled.

Jemma felt her cheeks redden so headed for the exit. “It’s all very impressive, but I’d say the lighting could be more…subtle.”

Leo grinned. “Noted.”

“I, uh…I’ll guess I’ll see you soon, then.” Jemma said, feeling slightly shy for some reason she couldn’t explain.

“You’ll see me tomorrow, technically.” Leo smirked.

“…Oh yeah, Past Leo, right. My Leo. Not that you’re _my_ Leo, I mean, we’re not…hell, you _know_ we haven’t…”

“Remember the days when it used to be me who talked like that?” Leo grinned.

Jemma held back a smile. “…Shut up.”

“Maybe one day.” Leo chuckled. “Be careful out there.”

“Well if I’m ever in danger, the man in the mask can come and save me, can’t he? He’s a ninja, you know.” Jemma smiled and walked out looking very pleased with herself.

“I’m not…” Leo shouted after her, giving up in the argument and laughing to himself. He looked around at the now empty room, and at the chair where just moments ago Jemma had been sat. It had been the first conversation he’d had in weeks.

There was a time when he never talked to anybody. A time when he didn’t have friends. Now he was in a time when he couldn’t live without them. Now he was in a time where he didn’t truly belong.

He picked up the leather-bound book from his desk and flipped through it with a sweet smile.

…

“THERE YOU ARE!” Daisy exclaimed as she opened the front door to Bobbi’s house. “Where the hell have you been? I left ages after you did!”

“Something came up, sorry.” Jemma said, rushing into the house and up into Bobbi’s bedroom with Daisy close behind. “How’s it going?”

Bobbi turned to face Jemma the instant she entered the room, holding up a dress in each hand. “Purple or green?”

“Green.” Jemma shrugged.

“But I like them both…” Bobbi sighed.

“Then pick the one you prefer.” Daisy said.

“But I like them both equally…”

“Bobbi, seriously. You’ll get a chance to wear them both at some point, so just pick one.” Daisy grumbled.

“Okay, fine. Green….green! But the purple shows off my legs better. Or does it?” Bobbi asked. Daisy snatched the purple dress from Bobbi’s grasp and tore a strap off.

“Oops. Guess it’s gotta be green.” Daisy shrugged.

“DAISY, WHAT THE HELL?!” Bobbi shouted.

“I’m making sure you’re ready before the sun comes up and a new day dawns, calm down. I’ll pay you back. How much was it?” Daisy asked, holding up the ripped dress.

“Seventy five.” Bobbi groaned.

“…Yeah, I won’t be paying you back.” Daisy said.

“I, uh, I just need to make a quick phone call. Be right back. You look stunning, Bobbi!” Jemma said, quickly walking out of the room and shutting the door behind her.

“What is up with her tonight?” Bobbi wondered. “Is it a guy?”

“No way, she’d tell us if it was a guy. Right?” Daisy speculated. “If it is, he’ll need to survive my thorough inspection to make sure he’s good enough. I’ll mess with his head.”

“I believe you. You don’t even need powers to make a mess, as it turns out.” Bobbi complained as she stared at her ripped dress and set about putting on the green one.

Outside, Jemma got out her phone and dialled.

“…Hello?” A voice asked on the other end.

“Sorry, me again.” Jemma said timidly.

“Oh, hey. Sorry about before. You didn’t tell anyone that we’re helping Lance get ready did you?” Leo said.

“Well, you didn’t exactly say that’s what you were doing…but thanks for the confirmation.” Jemma smirked.

“Oh bloody hell!”

“It’s okay, don’t worry. It’s obvious Lance would get you guys to help him anyway. We’re here with Bobbi and if someone who looks likes Bobbi Morse thinks she needs help to look hot than Lance _definitely_ does.” Jemma chuckled.

“Good point.” Leo laughed. “Everything alright?”

“Oh, yeah, uh…I was just wondering how things were going, really.”

“Not too bad, I think.” Leo said.

“OW! NO, IT DOESN’T GO IN THAT WAY!” Jemma heard Lance shout in the background.

“What was that?” Jemma asked with a smirk.

“Either Lincoln and Lance are useless at tying ties or they’re doing something I don’t want to walk in on.” Leo joked and Jemma laughed. “I didn’t even want to come, to be honest. Not that I didn’t want to help, it’s just I knew I wouldn’t be helpful in any way. This isn’t my forte.”

“I feel exactly the same way, don’t worry.” Jemma said. “And hey, you’re useful…who knows what you’ll do one day?”

“That’s very nice of you to say, but right now I don’t think I’m the expert in style and fashion and, as Lance said, ‘looking foxy’.” Leo sighed.

Jemma giggled. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, you’re a handsome guy.”

“…You think?”

“…Well, uh…yeah. I like your style, and there will be plenty of girls who will too. I mean, maybe…maybe you could try sporting some stubble? I don’t know, maybe. It…it might suit you. Who knows?” Jemma blabbed.

“…Really? I, uh, I guess I could give it a go.” Leo said.

Jemma didn’t know how she knew, but she could tell Leo was smiling. She also didn’t know why she felt the need to call him and compliment him quite as much as she had been. “Any tips to throw my way?”

Leo laughed. “Sorry, I’m not much of an expert. I find it hard enough to hold a conversation with a beautiful girl like you, more like offer them beauty advice….um, uh, I mean, not that I’m saying, uh…”

Silence for a while until Leo spoke again.

“…Oh dear, I, uh, I think Lance just died again probably he’s making a habit of it okay bye.”

Leo hung up suddenly, leaving Jemma with a confused smile on her face. She didn’t know what the smile was for. She walked back into Bobbi’s bedroom and saw Bobbi fully made up for her date.

“Wow. You look beautiful!” Jemma grinned.

“Thank you!” Bobbi smiled. “Still terrified though.”

“You’ll be fine, it’s only Lance. I’m like ninety percent sure he’s much more afraid than you are.” Daisy said.

“I’m one hundred percent sure.” Jemma smirked and the girls laughed.

The time quickly passed and Daisy and Jemma hid in Bobbi’s bedroom, watching slyly from the window as Lance arrived to pick her up and take her to a restaurant. They chuckled at the pair’s awkward hug and kiss on the cheek, and laughed even more when Lance sped over a speed bump down the road and head-butted the windshield. Soon, the car disappeared from view.

“So, do we wait for her to get back and get the gossip or head back and sleep?” Daisy yawned.

“I think we both know the answer. I’m exhausted. We can get the gossip tomorrow.” Jemma said.

_“You’ll see me tomorrow, technically.” Leo smirked._

The image of Leo left her head as quickly as it entered, but the fact that it was there at all kept Jemma up for most of the night. The Leo she had met that night had been so different from the one she knew and yet so much the same man.

She could only wonder what she’d be like where he’d come from. What all her friends would be like one day. She hoped she’d dream about them.

Yet she only ended up dreaming about _him_.


	12. Inkheart

“Well, _that_ was shit.” Lance sighed as everyone headed out of the community centre after another long, boring day.

“I know Coulson is more lenient with us now after everything, but he could at least think of better stuff for us to do that doesn’t involving anything that makes me gag.” Bobbi moaned.

“Still, the day is ours now. What shall we do?” Lincoln asked.

“Well I don’t know about you guys, but I have an appointment to get my tattoo touched up.” Daisy revealed.

“I didn’t know you had a tattoo.” Leo noted.

“Yeah, just the Chinese symbols for ‘faith’ on my shoulder blade. You guys could come along if you like? Then we could do something after. Maybe I could even get you a good deal on a tattoo on your own. Vince is the best tattooist I know by a mile.” Daisy explained.

“How many tattooists _do_ you know?” Lincoln wondered.

“I got mixed in with a weird crowd in school. Long story.” Daisy shrugged off, turning to Bobbi and Lance with a smirk. “Maybe you two could get each other’s initials on your ankles or some soppy crap like that.”

“One date, Daisy. One date.” Bobbi laughed as she held Lance’s hand.

“Yeah, let’s take it easy, Johnson. I wouldn’t even consider it until the third date at least.” Lance joked.

“Whatever. Coming or not?” Daisy asked.

“I’d actually be quite interested in seeing a tattoo being applied up close.” Leo said.

“Nerdiest way of saying ‘let’s go to a tattoo parlour’ ever, but I’ll take it.” Daisy smiled. “Anyone else?”

“I’m up for it. Might get a tattoo myself.” Lincoln smiled.

“Oh please do, I’d love to see you squeal.” Daisy laughed.

“You could see that anytime you wanted.” Lincoln smirked.

“Shut up.” Daisy chuckled, playfully knocking Lincoln with her shoulder.

“Well I enjoy seeing my friends in pain as much as the next guy, what do you think?” Lance said, turning to Bobbi.

“Can’t hurt. Well, can’t hurt _me_ anyway.” Bobbi smiled.

“Jemma?” Daisy said. Everyone turned to look at Jemma, who’d be oddly quiet all day.

“Oh, sorry. I can’t. I, um, I have somewhere to be.” Jemma said.

“Oh, really? Where?” Bobbi wondered.

“Just…some family thing.” Jemma said. “I really should get going, actually. See you all tomorrow!” Jemma shouted and hurried off, quickly glancing at Leo as she went.

“I feel like we just got ditched.” Lance noted.

“She did seem a bit off when she called me a few days ago.” Leo said. “Both times.”

“She called you? We thought it was a secret boyfriend or something.” Daisy grinned at Bobbi.

“Sorry for the disappointment.” Leo rolled his eyes.

“She’d be lucky to have you, Fitz.” Daisy smiled, squeezing Leo’s shoulders. “It’s her loss. Let’s get going.”

…

Jemma rushed down the stairs to the abandoned pub cellar and into the bright white room. Everything was just as she’d remembered it when she’d left it there before, from the bed to the desk to the curtains to the lights. The only change was the countdowns that were still ticking, now all closer to reaching zero. One only had ten minutes left to go.

“Hi.”

Jemma jumped at the sound of Leo’s voice, turning to see him stood at the end of the room where a smaller corridor headed off into a tiny space.

“What’s in there?” Jemma asked, pointing to the direction where Leo, the future Leo, had come from.

“The generator running this place. It’s been on a blink so I’m working on patching it up.” Leo revealed. Jemma noted he was dressed as he had been before, completely in the black costume of the man in the mask but without the mask itself, which lay on the desk. She also noticed the leather-bound book had been moved and was now open on the desk.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude. Didn’t realise you have somewhere to be.” Jemma said, looking at the countdown which now had nine minutes left.

“No problem, I’m glad to see you.” Leo smiled. “I don’t have to leave for another few minutes anyway. I’ll be right back though, if you want to stick around?”

“…Really?” Jemma said, surprisingly happy.

“Yeah. Just promise not to look at the books.” Leo said.

“Cross my heart.” Jemma nodded.

“Good.” Leo grinned, picking the mask off the desk and sitting on the end of the bed examining it. Jemma watched him intently then timidly took a few steps towards him.

“…So, um…you, past you, I mean…you said I was beautiful a few days ago. O-on the phone.”

“I remember.” Leo said, looking at her. She found herself unable to keep eye contact with him. “You said I was handsome. And said I could try sporting some stubble, as I recall.”

“…Yeah. But would I have said that if I hadn’t have met you?” Jemma wondered.

“Maybe, maybe not.  But you believed what you said, right?” Leo asked.

“Yeah.”

“Then that’s all that matters.”

“So, does he…do _you_ …take my advice?”

“Can’t say.” Leo smiled.

“Oh, thanks.” Jemma sighed.

“Is it important if I do?” Leo asked.

“Well, of course it is.”

“Why?”

“Because…you know why. You said you grew it for…for the girl you liked. Like. The one you miss.” Jemma said shyly.

“I did.”

“…So?” Jemma wondered.

“So…what?”

“You know what I’m asking.”

“You’re asking if you’re the girl. If we’re together where I’m from.” Leo said.

“…And?” Jemma asked, her heart beating out of her chest.

“…Would you want to be the girl?” Leo posed.

“What? God, no. Course not. That’s not how I…I don’t feel that way about…you. Or h-him.”

“Then why are you asking?”

“I…I don’t know, maybe I…I don’t know.” Jemma sighed. “It’s confusing.”

Leo looked at the countdown. “I have to go. I’ll be right back.”

“You were never going to give me a straight answer anyway, were you?” Jemma asked.

“It doesn’t sound like you even know if you wanted an answer yourself.” Leo smirked.

Jemma smiled. “You’re a bit cheeky in the future, aren’t you?”

“Aren’t we all? As a friend once told me, all the best relationship are built on banter.” Leo grinned, sliding on the mask and rushing up the stairs and out of view.

Jemma watched him go then made her way slowly to the edge of the bed, sitting exactly where Leo had just been. Her head was flooded with confused thoughts. It wasn’t even the time travel part that confused her anymore, but the time travel _ler_. How long had Leo Fitz been so confusing to her? She thought she knew where she stood with him, but then he showed her she barely knew anything at all.

She felt the warmth of where he’d been beneath where she sat. She found it comforting and smiled.

…

“Okay, so maybe not tattoos, but you two could easily get matching bracelets. Or two necklaces that join together to form one heart.” Lincoln teased Bobbi and Lance as the group headed down the street the tattoo parlour was located on.

“Actually, I might get a tattoo after all. ‘Fuck off Lincoln’ on my forehead.” Lance joked.

“I’d pay to see that.” Daisy grinned.

“I wouldn’t. You’d find yourself dumped faster than the speed of light.” Bobbi smirked.

“And then you’d realise that it doesn’t really matter because it’s what inside a person that counts. And I know a thing or two about putting something inside a person.” Lance chuckled.

“I’m gonna pretend you didn’t just say that.” Bobbi laughed.

“Rank.” Daisy said.

“You’re disgusting.” Leo shook his head, smiling nevertheless.

“It’s all good banter, Fitz.” Lance smirked, wrapping an arm around Leo as they headed into the parlour. “All the best relationships are built on banter.”

“There’s banter and then there’s whatever the hell you just said.” Lincoln grinned.

“There’s my favourite girl!” Vince grinned as Daisy ran up and hugged him. Vince was in his late twenties, dressed a white vest, jeans and a red bandana wrapped around his head. Most of the skin from his balding head to where his size-too-small jeans cut off was covered in ink. “Ready for the touch up.”

“You bet. Maybe we could add a background to it while I’m here?” Daisy suggested.

“Whatever you like, my dove.” Vince grinned, guiding Daisy onto a flat table further into the shop. He turned back to look at the others all stood there, completely out of their comfort zones. “These your friends?”

“Yep. They came to watch. Fitz, you can come closer if you want. You said you wanted to see this up close.” Daisy said.

“Yeah, I think I’ve just discovered I have a phobia of needles.” Leo said, growing pale as he watched Vince prepare some equipment. “I need some air.”

He hurried out, Bobbi and Lance smiling as he went. Lincoln had become interested in the various pictures of tattoos on the wall. “Look at this one. A skull made up of flowers. What kind of dick gets that put on their skin forever?”

“Me.” Vince snapped, glaring at Lincoln. “On my lower back. It shows that death is beautiful.”

“Oh, well that’s…morbid.” Lincoln said. Daisy glared at him as a way of telling him to shut up.

“Enough chat. I’ve got things to do.” Daisy said, removing her jacket and pulling her black tank top off over her head, throwing it aside. “Vince, do your thing.”

Daisy lay face down on the table, Vince sitting down by her shoulder where her tattoo could be seen. Vince chuckled, placing one of his hands on Daisy’s lower back. “I always do, babe.”

Bobbi, Lance and Lincoln all looked startled as Vince’s hand moved up and down Daisy’s back while she nervously laughed.

“Hey, buddy.” Lincoln said, walking closer. “Her tattoo’s on her shoulder, if you hadn’t noticed.”

“Lincoln…” Daisy said.

“I know what I’m doing, mate.” Vince said.

“Yeah, we all know what you’re doing. That’s the problem.” Lincoln said angrily.

Vince stood up. “It wouldn’t be very smart to pick a fight with me, buddy.”

“Not very smart, huh? I can be a real bright spark when I need to be, I can assure you.” Lincoln spat.

“…Daisy, I think you should come back another time. Alone. I can’t concentrate with all your mates here.” Vince said blankly, not taking his eyes off Lincoln as Daisy sat up and put her clothes back on.

“…Fine.” Daisy groaned, getting up and hurrying past Lincoln. “Thanks a lot.”

“See you soon, sweetheart.” Vince called out after her, walking up to Lincoln. “So nice to meet some of your friends.”

Vince put a firm hand on Lincoln’s shoulder. Lincoln stepped back with a short cry of pain, shrugging it off and storming out with Bobbi and Lance in tow.

…

Leo was sat on a bench breathing in the cool air, waiting for Daisy and the others to finish in the parlour. He sighed, wondering if he’d ever stop finding things to be scared of. It just made him feel even weaker and worse about himself than he already did.

Still, it wasn’t all bad. Jemma _had_ said he was handsome a few days ago. He smiled.

The smile dropped when he clocked a figure standing on the roof of the building in front of him. The man in the mask.

“Hey!” Leo shouted out after him, running up to the bottom of the building. His heart stopped when the man in the mask seemed to pull something out of his jacket and throw it at him.

Leo closed his eyes but still managed to catch the object. He opened his eyes and was bewildered to see it was a packet of peanuts.

“What the hell?” He whispered and looked up. The man in the mask was gone.

Suddenly, Leo heard some shouting getting louder and closer. He stepped back a bit and saw Daisy and the others heading towards him.

“I can take a bit of weird rubbing for cheap tattoos, Lincoln! You shouldn’t have done that, I can handle myself!” Daisy exclaimed angrily.

“I wasn’t just gonna let him feel you up like that, the guy’s a creep!” Lincoln shouted.

“You didn’t even hear what was running through his head.” Bobbi said. “I nearly thumped the prick.”

“Why the hell did I even invite you guys? I knew you’d be like this.” Daisy groaned.

“Yeah, we suck for actually having respect for you.” Lincoln rolled his eyes.

“Screw you, Campbell.” Daisy snapped, storming off. Lincoln watched her go angrily, rubbing his shoulder furiously.

“You alright there?” Lance asked him.

“Yeah, fine. I’ll see you guys later.” Lincoln said, hurrying off himself.

“Well, so much for hanging out then.” Lance said.

“What did I miss?” Leo asked.

“Vince is a creep, Lincoln stood up for Daisy. Daisy’s pissed at Lincoln for destroying her chance to get cheap tattoos and Lincoln’s pissed that Daisy’s pissed.” Bobbi explained. “You got lucky, getting out of there when you did. Escaped all the drama.”

“Not all of it.” Leo said, holding up the bag of peanuts. “The man in the mask appeared and gave me this.”

“Peanuts? I’d rather have a packet of crisps but that was awfully nice of him.” Lance said.

“Why would he give you some peanuts?” Bobbi wondered.

“Exactly my question.” Leo said. “Everything’s he’s done before has had a purpose…maybe I’ll figure it out later.”

Leo put the peanuts into his pocket as he walked off with Bobbi and Lance, hoping Daisy and Lincoln would be okay on their own.

…

Jemma watched the countdown reach zero then sat in silence. Less than ten minutes later she found herself getting nervous when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs as Leo walked into the room and discarded the mask.

“So, how long was I gone?” Leo asked with a smile.

“…Why would I count something like that?” Jemma asked.

“Because that’s the sort of thing you do to pass the time.” Leo replied.

Jemma was silent for a moment. “…Thirteen minutes, forty-seven seconds.”

Leo chuckled. “You sure about that?”

“Of course I am.”

“Awesome. New record.” Leo grinned. “I’ve been practicing getting there and back. Needed to know if anything could have potentially slowed me down.”

“And I assume all went well?”

“Of course.” Leo smiled. “Had to go give my past self some peanuts.”

“Peanuts? Why?”

“I work it out, don’t worry.” Leo said, placing the mask on the desk and taking off his jacket. Jemma’s eyes widened as he continued undressing, pulling his shirt over his head and letting it fall to the floor.

Jemma couldn’t help herself and let her eyes wander. She was glad she did.

_I guess to do all the acrobatics it makes sense that he’s more…athletically built…in the future._

Leo looked over to her and suddenly stopped. “Shit. Sorry, I…I’m used to not have to worrying about company.”

He reached down for his shirt. Jemma stood up. “NO. Uh, no, it’s fine. It’s your home, after all.”

For a moment she wished she was Bobbi so she could know what he was thinking. She was sure that he let out a smile for a moment there.

“I’m just gonna have a quick shower.” Leo declared.

“Okay.” Jemma nodded. Leo made his way into the curtained area of the room and before too long Jemma heard the sound of running water. She tried not to laugh as black trousers, boots and socks came flying over the curtain and onto the floor like something out of a comedy movie.

Any trace of laughter died the second a pair of boxers landed onto the pile.

Jemma could feel her face get hotter and redder. It was ridiculous. It’s not like she hadn’t seen boxers before. They were all over the place in clothes shops, after all.

She’d always been extremely careful not to find her father’s briefs lying around. The only other time she’d really seen them was when she spent the night with her ex for the first (and last) time. She didn’t want to think about that prat.

With every passing second she became more and more aware that this future version of her friend was showering naked just a few metres away from her. That chest. Drenched with steaming hot water.

_Stop it! It’s LEO. But at the same time…it’s not._

But did that make it okay? Probably not. Jemma felt more and more flustered and tried to think about something else. She got out her phone but she kept going back and looking at the clothes pile. The more she did, the more she thought about the man who wore those clothes. The man who she’d had the most interesting conversation of her life with. She hoped there’d be more conversations like them. There was something about talking to him…it was so easy. Not that it wasn’t easy to talk to the Leo she’d known for months, but this felt like a different man. The Leo she knew was sweet, kind, caring…and yes, handsome. And this Leo seemed to be all those things too, just with more hair on his chin, muscles and knowledge that she yearned to acquire.

_The stubble really does suit him, though._

So what if she’s attracted to him? She has the ability to recognise good looking men. Hell, Lance and Lincoln are good looking men. Why does it feel so strange that she finds Leo to be good looking too? Maybe because of the girl this future Leo talked about?

Unless she _is_ that future girl.

It hit Jemma quite suddenly after thinking for so long. She hoped she _was_ that girl. She wanted to _be_ that girl. Maybe it could justify her fantasising about him like she was if she knew that he spent every second he’d been here fantasising about her too?

Leo pulled open the curtain and walked out with towels around his waist and neck, causing Jemma to feel an intense heat she needed to get rid of.

“I, uh, I have to go.” She stated.

“Oh…okay.” Leo said, puzzled.

“Family thing. I’ll, um, I’ll see you soon, I’m sure. Be it with the mask on or not.” Jemma said, unable to look Leo in the eye.

Leo smiled slightly. “Yeah.”

“Bye.” Jemma said, quickly making her way out. Leo watched her go and his smile became a grin.

…

“Hello? Jemma?” Daisy shouted as she entered Jemma’s house. She was met with silence - maybe Jemma really _did_ have a family thing? Part of her wanted to be on her own anyway; fighting with Lincoln had bummed her out.

They’d always gotten along so well, had the same sense of humour, and she always found someone she could just have a great time with in him. He was the last person in the group she’d ever expected to fall out with. Even walking around nowhere in particular for a little while hadn’t helped clear her head. Maybe she was overreacting? Vince _was_ being a creep, after all.

She made her way upstairs and walked into her bedroom, only to stop dead at the sight in front of her. Nearly every free space available in her room had been filled with flowers – more specifically, filled with daisies.

“What the…?” Daisy whispered.

“You’re back!” A voice exclaimed happily from the corner of the room.

Daisy jumped and turned to see Lincoln sat on the floor, getting up at the sight of her stood there. “Lincoln?! What the HELL is this?”

“Do you like them?” Lincoln asked, a beaming smile on his face that was borderline scary.

“How did you…? Just…what?” Daisy mumbled.

“I thought you might like some flowers. Do you?” Lincoln smiled.

Daisy’s eyes widened. “…Did you break into Jemma’s house to do this?”

“Yeah.” Lincoln nodded.

“Are you high?” Daisy asked.

Lincoln laughed as he stared directly at her with a smile. “Of course not. You’re adorable when you’re mean.”

“Where did you get all these?” Daisy asked.

“I bought them.”

“But there must be hundreds of them! How much did this all cost?”

“Quite a lot. Had to go to six different florists. Worth it.” Lincoln beamed.

“What the hell is up with you? Is this, like, some sort of apology?” Daisy wondered.

Lincoln grinned. “So much more than that. My eyes have been opened today. I’ve truly seen you for the first time.”

With that, Lincoln pulled his shirt off over his head and threw it across the room, revealing his chiselled body.

“What the…hell are you doing?” Daisy said, pretending she didn’t take a peek before she covered her eyes.

“I’m seducing you.” Lincoln smiled, stepping closer to Daisy.

“What…where…why?...”

“Because everything’s so clear now! It’s obvious. I’m in love with you, obviously.” Lincoln grinned.

Daisy lowered her hands. “…You’re what?”

Lincoln walked right up to Daisy, leaving barely an inch between them as he gently moved a stray strand of hair out of Daisy’s eye and cupped her cheek in his hand. “I love you. Everything about you is just…so perfect. We’ve always gotten on so well, haven’t we? I’ve never bonded with a girl so easily before…it’s love, I know it.”

“…Did you hit your head at some point in the last hour or so?” Daisy asked, unable to take her eyes away from Lincoln’s. The way he was looking at her, it was like…like he meant every word of what he was saying. But he couldn’t, could he?

“The only thing that’s hit me today is love.” Lincoln smiled.

“…Lincoln, I…” Daisy stuttered.

“Words are difficult. Let me just show you.” Lincoln whispered as he drew Daisy closer and kissed her passionately.

Daisy couldn’t control it as she melted into the kiss, placing a hand on the back of Lincoln’s head as the other ran down his chest. Ironic as it was considering who it was she was kissing, but it was electric. She ended up being the one to deepen the kiss, wrapping her arms around Lincoln’s neck as he muscular arms wrapped around her. She felt the weight leave her legs as he picked her up and stepped forwards until they fell onto the bed.

Lincoln’s lips moved away from hers and kissed a line down her neck as she felt a shiver run down her entire body, holding his head in place to ensure he didn’t stop.

_Stop. We should stop. What are we doing?_

“Wait, what _are_ we doing?” Daisy said, sitting up and pushing Lincoln off of her. “This is insane! We were just…this is too fast. You’re not…you’re not okay!”

“I’ve never been more okay!” Lincoln said. “How did I ever get by without knowing what love truly is?”

“What is WRONG with you? And me for letting that even happen?! I…this is crazy. Now put your shirt back on!” Daisy said (rather reluctantly).

“Of course!” Lincoln nodded. “We can take it slow. We should get dinner! What do you like?”

“What on earth…?” Daisy whispered to herself as Lincoln got off the bed and walked over to his shirt, bending down to pick it up. “Stop! Stand up!”

“I love it when you give orders.” Lincoln grinned as he stood up.

“What the hell is that? When did you get a tattoo?” Daisy asked.

“I don’t have one. Should I get one of you?” Lincoln asked. “If you want me to I will.”

“Then how do you explain that?” Daisy wondered, dragging Lincoln across the room towards a mirror and turning him around facing away from it. Lincoln turned his head to look, and saw clear as day a tattoo of a love heart on his right shoulder with ‘DAISY’ written in the middle.

“I love it.” Lincoln nodded firmly.

“You love everything today!” Daisy shouted. “When did you get that?”

“No idea, but I’m glad I have it. Don’t you love it?” Lincoln asked with a smile.

“Okay, you suddenly have a tattoo of my name in a love heart and then start acting all lovey-dovey with me. This has done something to you! But how could you…Vince. Son of a bitch! You, shirt on. Now. I’m calling the others and getting this fixed.” Daisy ordered, getting out her phone and dialling the group.

“I love your passion so much.” Lincoln beamed.

“Shut up.”

…

“Do you ever think we’ll have a normal day again?” Lance asked as the group all stormed towards the tattoo parlour as he helped Leo restrain Lincoln to keep him from trying to get as close to Daisy as he could.

“I very much doubt it.” Bobbi sighed.

“VINCE! OPEN THIS DOOR!” Daisy shouted as they reached the parlour and found the door locked.

Vince hurried into the main part of the parlour from another room and smiled as he saw the group stood there. “We’re closed.”

“We know what you did to our friend, you son of a bitch!” Lance exclaimed.

“That weird storm not too long ago…you got caught in it, didn’t you? It gave you powers. You can do weird tattoo crap now.” Daisy said.

Vince smiled. “We’re closed.”

“…Okay then.” Daisy said, clicking her knuckles and sending a shockwave at the door; glass smashed as the door broke apart and flew into the shop, sending Vince flying back in shock.

“…So we’re both freaks. I knew we had a connection.” Vince smirked.

“Ugh, this isn’t worth cheap tattoos. Take that tattoo of Lincoln, now.” Daisy demanded.

“He thought I was a creep, he deserved to become even worse than that.” Vince shrugged.

“I love her with all my heart!” Lincoln exclaimed.

“Can’t we just knock him out?” Leo asked.

“Look, you’ve had your fun. Just take the tattoo off and we’ll go.” Jemma suggested.

“You think I’m taking it off that prick after you just destroyed half my parlour?” Vince said.

“Guess I’ll have to wreck the other half.” Daisy grimaced.

“Oh Daisy, you really were one of my favourites. Such a shame. I prefer the subtle approach so as to not draw attention but I guess the jig is up already.” Vince smirked, pointing at Daisy with force.

Daisy cried out in pain and fell to the floor. Lincoln tried to run for her but the others held him back as Bobbi rushed over to her. Daisy pulled up her top to reveal blood pouring out of her side. Beneath it, there was now a tattoo of a knife.

“Undo this, NOW! She’s gonna bleed out!” Bobbi pleaded.

“Son of a bitch!” Lance angrily shouted, letting go of Lincoln and running for Vince. Vince smirked as he pointed at Lance, who fell to the ground clutching at his neck, his face growing red as a tattoo of tight chains appeared around his throat.

“Stop this!” Jemma begged as Lincoln got free of Leo’s grip and rushed over to Daisy, who grew weaker by the second.

Vince turned to Leo, the only one left stood on his own as the others struggled to comfort Daisy and Lance. “And what are you gonna do? You’re scared of needles as it is, you wuss.”

“Oi, leave him alone!” Jemma spat passionately, surprising everyone in the room.

“Just…take the tattoos off of them. Please.” Leo said.

Vince laughed. “The answer’s no. You’re all more trouble than you’re worth.”

“Take them off…or I open these.” Leo said, stepping forward and pulling out the pack of peanuts from his pocket.

Vince’s face dropped. “…Are those…?”

“That’s right. Peanuts, arsehole.” Leo stated.

“Okay…I’m…fucking….confused…” Lance struggled to say.

“The man in the mask, whoever he is, he seems to know what’s going to happen to us. Therefore he knows what we need, right? If he can’t just directly act himself he’s given us something we can use, like the note about Lance. And the only way I can see us needing peanuts in this situation is if this bastard has quite the allergy to them.” Leo explained, tearing the packet open.

“Be careful with those.” Vince warned. “I’m warning you.”

“Any sudden movements and I’ll throw them. I’d imagine even so much as contact with your skin would be quite uncomfortable, right?” Leo wondered.

“You’re right, Fitz.” Bobbi smiled. “I can hear him. He’s had quite the horrific allergic reaction before now.”

“W-What?” Vince asked.

“I can read thoughts, bitch.” Bobbi said.

“Now take the tattoos off, close your business and leave the city and we won’t have any more issues.” Leo said firmly.

“…Son of a b-” Vince exclaimed, raising his arm.

Leo threw the packet into the air, sending peanuts all over the place. Vince looked around in the confusion, facing Leo again just as one fell into his open mouth. Almost instantly, his tongue began to swell up and he struggled to breath.

“My…injections…I…need…them. My…rucksack…” Vince choked.

Leo knelt over where Vince had collapsed to the floor. “You can have them…just take off the tattoos. Now.”

Vince stared at Leo for a moment. Leo didn’t break his gaze.

Vince waved his hand and all at once Daisy and Lance’s tattoos disappeared and they sat up, breathing heavily. Lincoln cried out in pain and put his hand to his shoulder, lowering his shirt to reveal the tattoo had gone.

“My…injections…” Vince mumbled.

Leo walked out the back and soon returned with the needle Vince required, placing it on the floor on the opposite end of the parlour. “There you are.”

“You…bastard…” Vince groaned as he began crawling across the floor.

“I couldn’t bear holding them for too long, I hate needles.” Leo smirked. “See you in hell, arsehole.”

The group all rushed out of the parlour and ran until Vince’s shouts became faint.

“Okay, maybe it’s because I’m a little lightheaded but…Fitz, that was one of the most badass things I’ve ever seen. I mean, as badass as you can be when your weapon is a packet of fucking peanuts.” Lance sighed as Bobbi hugged him.

“I can’t really take any credit…whoever the man in the mask is…he’s the hero.” Leo shrugged.

“No.” Jemma smiled, squeezing Leo’s hand. “You’re the hero.”

Leo smiled at her shyly. Jemma found herself only looking away from him when she absolutely had to for the whole walk to the diner where they’d all decided to go for dinner. She could already see the man she’d been thinking about non-stop for the last few days emerging in him.

…

Daisy walked out of the bathroom of the diner and looked over at her friends all laughing together at the table. Bobbi and Lance could barely keep their hands off each other, Leo was being rather talkative (which made her so happy to see) while Jemma was looking out the window in silence. She’d been oddly distant over the last few days. There was, however, someone missing.

“Hey.”

Daisy turned around to see Lincoln stood there, having just exited the men’s bathroom.

“Hey.” She smiled as he stood with her watching the group.

“…Quite the day, huh?” Lincoln chuckled.

“It was certainly quite something.” Daisy nodded.

“…Look, I’m really sorry. All that stuff with the flowers and…oh god, _everything_ …I couldn’t control it, it was all -” Lincoln began.

“It was the tattoo, it’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.” Daisy said. “We’re good.”

“About everything?” Lincoln asked.

“Yeah. You were absolutely right to stand up to Vince before. I was an idiot for letting him be so creepy just for some ink.” Daisy smiled.

“I just…I have too much respect for you, that’s all.” Lincoln said.

“It’s nice to finally have people around me who care.” Daisy grinned, looking at the group again.

“We’re quite the bunch, huh?” Lincoln laughed.

“To put it lightly.” Daisy agreed.

“So, we’re really okay?” Lincoln asked.

“Of course. All of that, it…it was just heat of the moment. You couldn’t control it.” Daisy clarified.

“…And what about you?” Lincoln posed nervously.

“What about me?” Daisy questioned.

“Well, it’s just…you know…you didn’t have a tattoo with my name on it and you…that was quite the kiss. And then some. I mean, we nearly -”

“-Like I said, heat of the moment. That’s all.” Daisy stated, unable to look Lincoln in the eye.

“…Right. Of course.” Lincoln nodded. “Still, on the plus side…your bedroom smells lovely.”

Daisy looked at him. He looked at her. They both burst out laughing.

“How much _did_ all that cost?” Daisy laughed.

“I don’t want to think about it.” Lincoln chuckled.

“Well, I mean…daisies…it was very sweet. Even if it was down to the whole tattoo thing. You had a lucky escape, don’t worry. It doesn’t tend to end well for guys who actually _are_ in love with me.” Daisy sighed. “It’s pretty hard to love me.”

“…It came pretty naturally to me.” Lincoln said, staring into her eyes. She met his gaze for a moment, tried to find something to say, and failed.

Lincoln looked down briefly before heading off and sitting back at the table. Daisy watched him for a moment then followed.

…

“Goodnight, Daisy.” Jemma smiled, popping her head into Daisy’s room that night.

“Jemma, wait!” Daisy called out. “Are…are you okay? You’ve been kinda distant these last few days.”

“…Yeah, I’m fine. Just a lot to think about. Our lives are pretty hectic now. Only two weeks left of community service and then who knows what…” Jemma said.

“…Are you sure that’s all it is?” Daisy asked. Jemma was silent.

_I shouldn’t. I really shouldn’t._

“…There’s a guy.” Jemma said suddenly.

“So there _is_ a guy! I knew it!” Daisy grinned. “Do I know him?”

“Ye…no, you don’t. It’s quite a peculiar thing. It’s all happened quite suddenly but…I can’t really get him out of my mind and I don’t know if it’s just because I find him interesting or, you know…” Jemma began.

“…If there are feelings there.” Daisy finished and Jemma nodded. “Well, is there an attraction?”

“…Yes.” Jemma admitted.

“Well that’s a start.” Daisy nodded.

“It’s just…there’s such a risk with it. We’re kind of…well, we’re friends. And if something went wrong or I got the wrong end of the stick…it could ruin a great friendship. Is it too much of a risk?” Jemma asked.

“Every relationship is a risk, Jemma. There’s a risk whether you’ve known the person for 10 years or 10 days. But if there’s even a hint of something there…maybe…maybe you should explore it. Even the slightest… _spark_.” Daisy grew quiet.

“…You okay?” Jemma asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah. All good.”

“Okay. Thank you. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Jemma closed the door and headed off to bed. Daisy fell back into her bed, her mind instantly going back to the last time she’d been lying on it. The feeling of Lincoln’s heat against her, his lips against her skin, her fingertips running along his chest…

She waited until she was sure the household was asleep before sneaking out.

…

Lincoln wasn’t sure why Daisy had text him in the middle of the night to tell him she was at his front door, but his curiosity forced him out of bed. He put on a shirt and headed quietly downstairs to try not to wake the rest of the house.

He carefully opened the door and noted the fear on Daisy’s face. “Everything okay?”

Daisy stepped forward and pulled him into a kiss. It deepened as they backed up against a wall and let their tongues explore each other’s mouths. They only parted when they ran out of air.

“…Am I crazy?” Daisy asked, breathing heavily.

“Maybe.” Lincoln said, closing the front door and kissing her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he carried her upstairs and into his bedroom. She grabbed the end of his shirt and pulled it off of him as he took off her jacket and unbuttoned her nightgown. She pulled the nightgown off and discarded it as she kissed him again as they fell onto the bed. Lincoln rolled on top of her and began kissing her neck. Daisy moaned quietly as she turned off the bedside lamp and guided Lincoln’s hands to her back, where he undid her bra.

Through the darkness, they found each other’s eyes and smiled.


	13. All You Need Is Blood

Daisy and Lincoln woke suddenly to the sound of a car engine starting up. They sat up in bed in shock before Lincoln looked back out his window to watch the car pull off his driveway and drive away.

“…My parents heading off to work.” Lincoln said in his hazy morning voice, slowly turning to face Daisy, who had pulled up the duvet to cover herself up. “…Morning.”

“…Morning.” She replied quietly.

Silence.

“They, uh…you don’t think your parents heard us?” Daisy asked eventually.

“If they had, we’d have known. Believe me.” Lincoln shuddered.

Daisy let out a sigh of relief. “…I can’t believe we did that.”

“And by ‘that’ you mean each other.” Lincoln smirked, flinching as Daisy kicked him under the covers. “Ow!”

“It’s too early for your teasing.” Daisy said.

“I mean, when we were still up at 1am you seemed to enjoy it a hell of a lot, and that’s pretty early.” Lincoln said with a grin.

“Want me to hit you again?” Daisy asked with a hint of a smile.

“I thought you were gonna full-on quake that second time round.” Lincoln teased, sitting up against the wall the bed was placed against.

“…You think you were that good, huh?” Daisy retaliated, sitting against the wall herself.

“Well, you were amazing so I kinda just figured…” Lincoln shrugged.

“…I suppose you weren’t that bad.” Daisy smiled.

“You’re killing me.” Lincoln groaned as Daisy laughed.

“Get a grip, Campbell. If you weren’t as good as you were, do you really think there’d have been a round two?” Daisy blushed.

Lincoln grinned. “I knew it was incredible.”

“Get over yourself.” Daisy chuckled. “Part of me was hoping you’d be crap, just so I could finally find something physically wrong with you.”

Lincoln laughed, getting out of bed and finding his boxers. “Sorry to disappoint. Well, to _not_ disappoint, I guess. Can’t say the same for the last time I slept with a girl.”

Daisy paused. “Do I want to know this story?”

“Remember I told you guys how I discovered my powers the day of the storm, causing a blackout everywhere around here? It happened when I…you know…” Lincoln began awkwardly.

Daisy smirked. “…squeezed the tube of toothpaste?”

Lincoln’s face went red as he put on a fresh shirt and trousers while Daisy got up to find her clothes. “I’d have appreciated leaving a bit more to the imagination there.”

“There’s no point leaving it to my imagination of all people after last night, is there?” Daisy grinned. “…How did you know it wouldn’t happen again?”

“Well, I’ve got better control of them now. And, I don’t know…I guess I just felt really comfortable with you.” Lincoln said timidly.

Daisy smiled. “…I’m kinda glad this happened.”

“I’m very glad this happened. Made yesterday a hell of a lot less awkward.” Lincoln grinned. “So…is this gonna be, like…a thing? You and me?”

“We’ll see.” Daisy teased with a grin as she pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked it. “Oh, crap. Five texts and three missed calls from Jemma; she must’ve found out I’m not there. Curse her getting up ridiculously early to go jogging. Freakin’ jogging!”

“What are you gonna tell her?” Lincoln asked. “Do we tell anyone about _this_?”

“…I’ve said before I’m not great at the whole relationship thing. I don’t know how it works most of the time, and if this grows into something, you know, _something_ …then I’d rather we let that happen behind closed doors. At least for now.”

“Agreed.” Lincoln nodded, unable to hold back a smile.

…

“Well, Daisy’s lying. Staying with her old roommates? She barely talks to them after everything that happened.” Jemma sighed as she read Daisy’s reply to her many texts and calls while sitting on the end of the future Leo’s bed.

“You can hardly judge _her_ for lying to _you_.” Leo smiled as he sat as his desk, flicking through his black notebook.

“And whose fault is that?” Jemma smirked at him.

“That would be mine.” Leo said and Jemma laughed.

“Well, she might not be lying. But I imagine you already know if she is or not.” Jemma noted.

“I do know, yes.” Leo teased. “You have no idea what she was up to. But you will soon enough.”

Jemma chuckled, standing up. “You love teasing me like this, don’t you?”

Leo put down the notebook and walked up to her. “I’m just enjoying knowing more than you for once.”

“Did you just admit that I’m smarter than you?” Jemma grinned.

Leo smiled. “Smarter than my past self, yeah.”

“But I’ll catch up eventually.” Jemma teased.

“We’ll see.” Leo smirked.

“We will.” Jemma laughed, stepping even closer and leaving them inches apart.

They stared into each other’s eyes in silence for a moment.

“You’re staring at me.” Leo said.

“No I’m not. _You’re_ staring at _me_.” Jemma replied. “…I have to get to the community centre.”

“You do. Don’t want to be late.” Leo nodded.

“…Exactly. Do you have any plans today? Seeing a movie or something?” Jemma shrugged, trying not to sound too interested.

“Are you asking me to one?” Leo grinned.

“…What? No. Shut up.” Jemma said.

“I was just kidding around.”

“Well don’t.” Jemma snapped suddenly, taking Leo by surprise.

“…I’m sorry if I’ve hit a nerve.”

“You haven’t.” Jemma said, gathering her things. “I just…I don’t appreciate… _this_.”

“As in all of this?” Leo asked, gesturing around the room. “Me?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. I don’t regret meeting you at all. Both times. Present and future you. I can’t picture my life without Leo Fitz in it now, if I’m being honest.” Jemma said shyly.

“Which one?” Leo wondered.

Jemma was silent for a while. “…Just…Leo. You’re trying to confuse me.”

“I’ve answered every questioned you’ve asked if I was able to. I’m not trying to confuse you at all.” Leo asked.

“And yet you still do!” Jemma exclaimed, stepping closer to Leo again. “And I…I can’t work out why. Or how.”

Leo just smiled as he stared at her in a way he hadn’t before. Jemma saw a flash of desperation in those beautiful blue eyes, almost as if he’d ached to look at her like that for some time. “…I think you have.”

Jemma’s mouth went dry as she tried to form a sentence, her eyes fixated on Leo’s smiling face. It appeared as if suddenly something had clicked with him. She thought about her conversation with Daisy the night before, about the sleepless nights she’d spent thinking about him. So much was running through her head but at the very core of it all was her friend. Leo Fitz. Both versions of Leo that she knew had dominated her every breath and thought.

She had to know.

“…Am I the girl? _Your_ girl, I mean? Not that I belong to _you_ , I just mean…are we t-together? In the future? That girl you spoke about…I…” Jemma blushed as the words failed her. She sighed. “…What are you doing to me?”

She looked at the floor and back up at Leo. She melted at the way he was looking at her now. She’d never known anyone to look at her like that before.

“…You’re my girl.” Leo whispered with a smile.

Jemma let out a sigh of relief she didn’t even know she was holding in. She could feel her hands shaking as she felt a shiver run through her body. She looked down at her hands and watched as she instinctively moved them closer to Leo’s, their fingers gently touching for a few moments before Jemma stepped back.

“I…I really have to go.” She stated, heading for the door.

“Jemma…”

She hurried out and didn’t look back.

…

“You’re such a liar!” Bobbi laughed as she and Lance walked into the community centre and headed for the locker room.

“It’s true! I swear on Fitz’s life!” Lance stated.

“You really expect me to believe that? SIX times?” Bobbi questioned with a smirk.

“Technically, six and a half.” Lance grinned.

Bobbi chuckled. “You’re disgusting.”

“Yes I am.” Lance smiled as Bobbi pulled him in for a kiss. “And you love it.”

“Whatever you say.” Bobbi said as they walked into the locker room and stopped dead at the sight before them. “What the…?!”

Lance sighed. “It’s disturbing that this kind of shit has stopped freaking me out, isn’t it?”

…

Jemma spotted Leo walking towards the community centre on the opposite side of the road from her as she turned into the complex. “Hiya!”

Leo continued walking without any acknowledgment that he’d heard her. Before she knew it she was running towards him and practically jumped to his side, making him jump. She noticed he was wearing earphones.

“Sorry, I…I shouted out but you couldn’t hear me. The music.” Jemma stuttered, pointing at Leo’s earphones as he took them out.

“Oh, right. Yeah.” Leo said.

“Didn’t mean to scare you.” Jemma smiled nervously, wondering why on Earth she was feeling so anxious around _this_ Leo. She supposed they had been starting to blur into one person lately since this Leo started getting more confident.

“It’s okay.” Leo smiled.

“…Do you, um…do you want to walk in together or…? It’s okay if you’re embarrassed to be seen with me.” Jemma laughed unconvincingly.

“I’d never be embarrassed to be seen with you.” Leo said.

Jemma felt her cheeks flushing. This was getting ridiculous. It’s _Leo_.

She thought back to her encounter with him not long ago. The future version, anyway. The way he’d looked at her…the shiver up her spine when their fingers had touched…the way she hadn’t been able to get him out of her mind for what had felt like years…

That heat she’d felt between them…she’d felt it with the same boy she was stood next to right then and there.

_I’m his girl._

One day he was going to look at her in a way that made her want to squeal. For now he was looking at her as if she was crazy, realising she’d been silent for quite some time by this point.

 “Sorry, I…shall we go then?” Jemma asked, flustered.

“Okay.” Leo nodded and the two slowly started walking together.

She felt nervous just walking next to him; the urge to just look at him and take him in was driving her insane. She wouldn’t be feeling like this if she’d never met his future self and she knew it. But at the same time…Bobbi and Lance were together now and Daisy and Lincoln always got along really well…maybe she and Leo were always destined to be partnered together within the group? Maybe this was inevitable?

She wanted to ask him a million questions. To know him inside out. She was beyond interested in him and she knew for a fact that this Leo wasn’t even at the most interesting he’d be to her yet. This boy was driving her crazy.

“I’m sorry if I’ve ever been a bitch to you.” Jemma said suddenly.

“What?” Leo asked.

“I didn’t really know you when I said I thought you were weird but…it was still a bitchy thing to do. So I’m just…I’m sorry if I’ve ever been a bitch.”

“I’ve never thought you were a bitch.” Leo said curiously.

“Oh. Right. I just thought you may have thought I was a bitch before we got to properly know each other.”

“Shall we stop saying the word ‘bitch’ now?” Leo proposed with a small smile. Jemma looked at him and smiled herself as the two chuckled.

“Okay.” Jemma nodded. Her face dropped when she saw a sparkle in his eye, a reminder of the way his future self had looked at her. Then she noticed a few stray hairs around his chin; he hadn’t shaved. She could feel her heartbeat increasing.

_He’s gonna remember having this conversation with me. Shit. I look like a proper fool. And he’s growing stubble. Does he…? Does he have feelings for me already? Did it happen this fast? Am I already his girl? Is he mine too?_

“Are you okay, Jemma? You’ve gone a bit pale.” Leo asked.

“Yeah, I…I’m fine. Sorry.” Jemma said quickly as they reached the community centre and headed inside. Jemma walked a few paces ahead of Leo. Out of sight, out of mind.

_I’m just making a fool of myself in front of him. Best to keep my distance._

They entered the locker room and stopped when they saw Bobbi and Lance staring at something on the floor. A bat. And not a wooden bat, a rodent bat. Small, black, winged and furry, lying on the floor.

“I have a few questions.” Leo raised his hand.

“You’ll have a few more any time now.” Bobbi said, fixated on the bat.

Suddenly, the bat started to expand and grow paler as it morphed into an unconscious middle-aged man.

“That’s a very naked man.” Jemma noted.

“He’s been changing from a naked man into a bat and back again every minute or so since we got here.” Lance explained.

“We think it got in through the vents.” Bobbi said, pointing at a vent near the ceiling that had been smashed open slightly. “In bat form, obviously.”

“I suppose it’s safe to assume he got caught in the storm and has been changing into a bat ever since?” Jemma speculated.

“Maybe.” Lance said. “Or…”

“…A bat got caught in the storm and has been changing into a nude middle-aged man ever since.” Leo finished and Lance nodded.

“I feel weird.” Bobbi said. “What should we do with him? Or…it?”

“We don’t know what form is his proper one; maybe we have to wait it out and see if he settles?” Leo suggested.

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we don’t have to end up moving a naked old dude out of here.” Lance said.

“Where would we even put him?” Bobbi wondered.

“Well let’s try and stay positive about it.” Jemma said. “I’ll go and see if Coulson is here yet.”

“Shall I go with you?” Leo asked.

“I’ll be fine.” Jemma said quickly, not looking back as she headed out.

“Okay.” Leo said timidly as the door slammed shut behind Jemma. “Has Jemma been off with either of you lately?”

“Not me.” Bobbi shook or head.

“Me neither. Why?” Lance asked.

“…Doesn’t matter.” Leo sighed. “…I, uh, I can’t help but notice he’s stayed as a naked middle-aged man.”

“Buggar.” Lance cursed. “Shotgun carrying his arms if we have to move him.”

“Should we wake him?” Bobbi wondered.

“Oi, mate. How many have you had?” Lance said, lightly kicking the man’s side. “Oh god, he wobbled. Ew.”

Bobbi leaned in closer to the man curiously. “Right, let’s just sit him up somewhere at the very least and try and piece together what’s happened and what to do -”

Suddenly, the man sit up and let out a piercing scream, revealing two large fans sticking out of his mouth. Bobbi screamed and fell back while Lance instinctively jumped in front of her and wrestled the man to the ground. In a flash, the man’s teeth sank into Lance’s neck.

“LANCE!” Bobbi wailed.

Leo struggled as he picked up a bench and threw it at the man, throwing him to the floor. He screamed again and rushed out of the room, shrinking down into a bat as it flew out.

“Bloody hell!” Leo shouted. He turned to see Bobbi cradling a pale Lance in her arms.

“It drained a lot of blood. He’s…it k-killed him.” She said tearfully.

“Like a vampire.” Leo said, crouching next to them. “It’ll be fine. We know he’ll come back.”

“Do we?” Bobbi panicked. “What if his power was to bring him back once?”

“You honestly think he wouldn’t fight tooth and claw to come back and piss us all off?” Leo asked.

“He’s got a point.” Lance groaned as he slowly sat up, making Bobbi and Leo jump. “Did I seriously get murdered by a naked vampire man? That’s embarrassing.”

Bobbi smiled as she pulled Lance close and kissed him passionately.

“We need to get after the fucker.” Lance said, trying to stand but failing.

“You’re back, but you still don’t have a lot of blood yet. You need to rest.” Bobbi said caringly.

“We need to warn Lincoln, Daisy and…oh god, Jemma.” Leo’s eyes widened as he ran out of the room, turning invisible as he went.

“Leo, wait!” Bobbi called out after him to no avail. “He’ll get himself killed!”

“He’ll be fine, nude vampire man won’t see him coming. Literally.” Lance said.

…

Jemma had almost forgotten why she’d left the locker room in the first place as she wandered down corridor after corridor deep in thought. She felt an urge to run back to future Leo and ask him what they need to do. He could’ve warned her what was coming when she’d left that morning, at least.

She smiled as a picture entered her head of everyone running around and panicking trying to catch the bat as it flew around the room. Bobbi, Daisy and Lincoln would probably do their best to try and capture it. Lance would probably use Leo as a human shield even though Leo would be doing his best to try and help the others while trying to stay as far from the bat as he could.

She imagined the high pitched shriek he’d make if it got too close to him and laughed. She’d always thought he had a really sweet laugh, mainly because he didn’t laugh much at all in those first few weeks. He deserved to be laughing all the time.

She wanted to hear his laugh again. Was it weird that she almost missed him even though it hadn’t been that long since she’d seen him?

“Jemma!”

She thought she’d imagined his voice until he appeared out of nowhere in front of her.

“He woke up! He’s like a vampire thing, we don’t know where it-” Leo began, interrupted by a bat soaring through the air, morphing into the man and landing on him, screaming into his voice as his fangs loomed over him, dripping with Lance’s blood.

“LEO!” Jemma shouted, running towards him as fast as she could go. She heard a slight pop and looked down to see a strap on her shoe has snapped off. She kicked off the broken shoe and kept running, reaching the man and kicking him with all she had. “Get off of him!”

The vampire rolled backwards and stood back up, slowly walking towards Leo and Jemma as she helped him up. He instinctively stepped in front of her as the vampire continued its approached.

“The man in the mask would be quite helpful right now.” Leo commented through his fear.

Jemma looked at Leo and smiled slightly. The man in the mask _was_ there, after all. She wasn’t sure why the thought suddenly made her feel better.

The vampire jumped towards them with a screech. Leo and Jemma’s hand found the other’s as they closed their eyes.

The cupboard door next to them burst open, making them open their eyes. Lincoln and Daisy stormed out, sending a shockwave and a lightning blast at the vampire simultaneously, sending it soaring backwards and crashing onto the floor, unmoving.

Jemma and Leo brushed themselves off as Lincoln and Daisy joined them, the four all staring at the vampire as it reverted back into the form of a bat, still unmoving on the floor.

“Is it dead?” Jemma asked.

Suddenly, the bat popped in an explosion of blood and guts, smearing the floor with red.

“I’m gonna say yes.” Daisy nodded.

“Why are our lives so weird?” Lincoln asked.

“Well, uh…thanks…I think.” Leo said, turning to Daisy and Lincoln.

“Well we heard something going down so just went for it.” Daisy shrugged. “No biggie.”

“What were you doing in the cupboard anyway?” Jemma asked.

“Yeah, have you been here this whole time?” Leo added.

Daisy and Lincoln shared a look.

“We were hiding. For a prank. We were gonna scare whoever walked by first.” Daisy explained.

“Right…” Jemma nodded with a smirk.

“Thank god you hid in there, really. We’d have been vampire food otherwise.” Leo smiled.

“So, did we all just collectively kill a man?” Jemma wondered.

“Well, it…it did revert back to a bat and then exploded so…I think we should agree it was a bat.” Leo said. “Not that killing an animal is much of an alternative.”

“It was a weird vampire thing, we killed a monster. We’re awesome. End of story.” Lincoln said.

“I like that explanation of events.” Daisy nodded. “And since Lincoln and I were the ones who technically saved the day…you guys can clear it up, right?”

“I…I mean, it…it was a team effort, I think.” Leo argued.

“It’s not our fault we don’t have your powers.” Jemma stated.

“Who can say if it is or not?” Daisy shrugged. “It’s a mysterious thing.”

“Ugh, fine. You guys suck.” Leo sighed.

“I’d rather suck in general than suck blood like that thing. Speaking of which, it won’t clean itself.” Lincoln smirked.

…

“How’s Lance doing?” Daisy asked that evening as she and Jemma sat watching Netflix in Jemma’s bedroom.

“Feeling better now. Bobbi’s tending to his every need.” Jemma said.

“I bet she is.” Daisy smiled, noting Jemma was smirking at her. “What?”

“You didn’t sleep here last night and then we happen to catch you and Lincoln all cosy in a cupboard? It doesn’t take a genius to put it together.” Jemma noted.

“Me and Lincoln? Please.” Daisy scoffed.

“…Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.” Jemma smiled. Daisy met her gaze and smiled sweetly.

“It’s very new, okay?” Daisy grinned.

“I think it’s sweet.”

“And hey, you mention this mystery man to me and then we come out of a cupboard to see you and Fitz all cosy and holding hands? It doesn’t take a genius to put it together.”

“No, no, we’re…it’s not like that. Honestly. We thought we were done for.” Jemma stated.

“…We’ll see.” Daisy said as a knock on the door sounded from downstairs, leading Jemma to rush down and answer the door, shocked to see Leo stood there.

“Oh, hi.”

“Hey.” Leo said nervously, handing Jemma a shoebox he was holding. “I, uh, got these for you. Some replacement shoes since you broke them saving my skin earlier.”

“Leo, you didn’t have to do that.” Jemma smiled, opening the box to find a new pair of exact same shoes she’d lost earlier that day. “I can pay you back for them; I’d have bought replacements anyway.”

“No, it’s fine, I uh…I hope this can help make up for whatever I’ve done to upset you.” Leo said.

Jemma looked at him in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I just…you’ve seemed a bit weird with me lately but not the others, like when we were walking in this morning…I just…I thought I’d upset you.”

“No, of course you haven’t. I’m sorry, I…I guess I’ve been projecting some things onto you and that’s not fair. You’ve done nothing wrong. We’re fine, Fitz. We’re great.”

She couldn’t help but find the way he smiled at her utterly adorable.

“Really?” Leo asked.

“Really.” Jemma nodded happily. “Thank you.”

“…Okay, good. Um…I’ll…I’ll see you tomorrow then.” Leo nodded.

“Yeah. See you tomorrow.” Jemma smiled and watched as Leo happily headed down the street and out of her sight. He was making her smile in a way she thought only his future self could do. Maybe it was just a smile for Leo Fitz in general.

She _had_ been unfair to push him away for reasons he had no idea about. After all, he wasn’t the Leo she had an issue with. And even then, it wasn’t so much of an issue as it was…something else.

“Who was it?” Daisy shouted from the top of the stairs.

“Leo bought me some replacement shoes.” Jemma shouted back.

“What a gem.” Daisy said.

“…Hey, fancy some ice cream for our Netflix marathon?” Jemma suggested.

“YES! I love you!” Daisy shouted excitedly.

“…I won’t be long.” Jemma said, heading out, her heart thumping loudly.

…

Future Leo was sat at the desk in his hideout when Jemma entered the room.

“It’s still too bright in here.” Jemma said nervously as Leo turned to look at her with a smile.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Also…vampire bat man?” Jemma folded her arms and raised her eyebrows.

Leo smirked. “And yet no sign of Robin.”

Jemma chuckled. “You’re so nerdy.”

“I am.”

“A little warning would have been nice about the whole thing, though.” Jemma said.

“I couldn’t risk things not turning out exactly how they did. I’m sorry.” Leo explained.

“What had to happen?”

“You had to have those moments with me. Otherwise it wouldn’t have triggered the thought process that brought you here.” Leo revealed.

“And you know the inner workings of my mind?” Jemma questioned.

“We have a lot of serious chats during Doctor Who binges, yeah.” Leo smiled. “You’re the instrumental thing that allowed me to go back in time and ensure all this happens smoothly.”

“But why _me_?”

“You know why. After this morning…” Leo trailed off. It was the first time he’d looked nervous in front of her.

“…So…we’re, um…we’re…together…in the future?” Jemma asked tentatively.

Leo smiled and blushed. “Yeah.”

“How does that happen?”

“I fall in love with you.” Leo said. “And you fall in love with me. And because we do…I become the man I am now. And if this version of me never met this version of you…we’d have never fallen for each other.”

“…Stop it.”

“What?”

“Stop saying it like that. Like I…I don’t…” Jemma began but failed to finish. “I mean, you’re _Leo_. You’re my friend.”

“Lots of relationships start as friendships.” Leo said.

Jemma timidly walked closer to the desk. “…Is it good? You and…and me?”

Leo grinned. “It’s amazing.”

Jemma found herself smiling. “I just…I never really pictured myself in a proper relationship. I’d always liked the idea and I have tried but…I don’t think I’m very good at it.”

Leo stood up and slid the leather bound book across the desk in front of Jemma. “Neither was I. But we work it out. Together.”

He opened the book and Jemma soon realised it was a photo album. Her heart thumped at the sight of a picture of herself and Leo stood in front of the Hollywood sign, his arm around her as he looked coyly at the camera. Jemma teared up as she looked at her face in the photo; a wide, beaming smile.

“I’ve never seen myself look so happy.” She choked. “We go away together?”

“We all went there together; Daisy took that photo. But we do go on a few getaways just the two of us. Just wait for the Seychelles trip.”

“Don’t have much of a choice, do I?” Jemma smiled and Leo laughed. He noticed tears quickly streaming down Jemma’s face and took her hand.

“Hey, it’s okay.”

Jemma wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “Sorry, I just…all of us have been through hell and I…I wasn’t sure if it would ever be okay for us all. Happy. And if we’d stay friends after community service was over. But…I mean, look at me. Us. We’re all gonna be okay.”

“There’s always good to balance the bad.” Leo nodded, slowly moving his hand towards Jemma’s face and wiping stray tears away with his thumb as his hand cupped her cheek.

Jemma gazed into his eyes and smiled. “Your hands are warm.”

“Yours are freezing.” Leo grinned and Jemma giggled.

“Always.” Jemma said. “I’m sorry, it’s just so much to take in and so quickly.”

“I know. I understand. There are dark days ahead, but there is always hope. Just remember that. And no matter what, just turn around and I’ll be at your side for the whole damn time. You’re kinda stuck with me, sorry.” Leo said.

Jemma laughed again. “…I don’t think I mind that. I…I haven’t been able to get you out of my head.”

Leo smiled, moving a stray hair out of Jemma’s eye. “I know the feeling.”

They stared into each other’s eyes for a while, just smiling in sweet silence.

“So…what happens now?” Jemma asked.

“…You could go and get the ice cream you promised Daisy.” Leo smirked and Jemma laughed. “Or you could stay for a bit. What do you want to happen?”

“…You’ve been confusing me for a while now. But I’ve finally had a clear thought about you for the first time.” Jemma smiled. “I know what I want to happen.”

“…Okay.” Leo said, his eyes still deeply looking into hers.

Jemma tentatively shuffled forward towards Leo, placing a hand gently on his chest and looking up at him with a smile. She leaned forward and sweetly pressed her lips against his before stepping back and allowing herself to breathe.

Silence for a moment.

They were drawn back together like magnets, their lips crashing together with more urgency and heat. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as she deepened the kiss. He carried her across the room and onto the bed as he kissed down her neck. Her hands found the bottom of his shirt as she pulled it over his head and threw it across the room, kissing him again as her hands ran up and down his chest. His arms wrapped around her and pulled her even closer into him.

Their lips parted and Leo took a breath. “Are you sure?”

Jemma smiled as she ran her fingers through his hair. “Yeah. I mean, only if…do you think you can manage it?”

He grinned. “I’ll do my best to power through.”

She kissed his jawline as he tore off her jacket and unzipped her dress, peeling it off her body as she undid his belt. Their clothes almost seemed to detach from them with a natural ease. A desperation for their owners to be as close as they could ever be to each other.

They fell back into the bed as Leo pulled the covers over them and kissed every inch of skin he could find as she moaned, holding him close to her and waiting for his lips to find hers again. When they did she wrapped her arms around his back and held him against her, an aching need inside of her to be close to him. Close to this promise of an amazing future.

They breathed each other in as they lay together; staring into each other’s eyes as their lips teased kiss after kiss. They smiled as they became one, and just as Jemma’s future seemed bright, her present was even more so.


End file.
